Mock crash presentation leaves lasting impact on real life consequences

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in teen drivers. In 2021, Louisiana reached its highest fatality year, ending with over 1,000 fatalities involving motor vehicle crashes. Prom and graduation season is an exciting time full of celebratory events for high school students, but it is also a dangerous time for teens on the road. Louisiana State Police and Terrebonne General Health System hosted a Sudden Impact mock crash presentation for juniors and seniors at Thibodaux High School on Tuesday morning. The presentation featured law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and student actors Chloe Zeringue, Layton Zeringue, Cade Chauvin, and Daniel Arabie.

The Sudden Impact mock crash was an outdoor theatrical production of a motor vehicle crash highlighting poor decisions, driving under the influence, texting while driving, lack of seat belt usage and the resulting complications. During the presentation, participants re-enacted the preventable consequences due to poor choices as a driver or passenger. In addition to the crash scene, the presentation gave the audience an inside look into the life-long consequences of drinking and drinking. “The program isn’t just about the crash, you get to see a jail scene, and a death notification to the student’s parents, so it really hits home for a lot of people,” said Kalie Giscliar, RN, and Community Health Nurse at Terrebonne General Health System.

Facilitated by the Injury Prevention Program for University Medical Center’s trauma team, and the Louisiana State Police, Sudden Impact is a program designed to prevent fatalities and injuries on the road. The national award winning program is the first and only program in the U.S. that joins both medical staff and law enforcement staff together, two agencies who often witness the trauma of fatal accidents together.

Gisclair partnered with Public Information Officer and State Trooper Ross Brennan to coordinate the mock crash. Gisclair shared the importance of the presentation during prom and graduation season, the deadliest time for teens on the road. “We just want to bring light to distracted driving, impaired driving, and lack of seat belt usage, especially at this time of year. Having them see exactly what can happen after making one bad decision is very impactful,” Gisclair added.

The two hour presentation provided experiences for multiple age groups and clearly demonstrated pain and suffering, striking the emotions of the audience. The program’s goal is to increase compliance with Louisiana traffic safety laws, reinforce healthy decision making, demonstrate the true consequences of poor decisions, and decrease the number of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

Thibodaux High School Senior Trenton Stoke said the presentation was extremely informative with a message he will never forget, “Don’t drink and drive. It was very interactive, I like how they actually had people from Thibodaux High in the presentation. The overall message I got was to not drink and drive, it can happen to anybody. It can be you, someone you know, your best friend, or even your brother in that case. It was very informative,” said Stoke.

Donald Gaulden, a senior at Thibodaux High School, expressed the impact the mock crash left on he and his classmates, and the influence it had on his decision to become a state trooper following graduation. “It was a great presentation that taught students to pay attention and be careful when you’re driving, don’t drink and drive, and don’t let your friends peer pressure you. Being that it’s the line of work I want to be in, it’s an adrenaline rush. They did a great job with the acting, I’m sure it touched a lot of people,” said Gaulden.

Tuesday’s presentation at Thibodaux High was one of the many mock crash presentations held in Southeast Louisiana. The Sudden Impact mock crash presentation has visited Central Lafourche High School, Assumption Parish High School, Jennings High School, and Jesuit High School in New Orleans.

State Trooper Brennan said he plans to continue the effort in reducing deaths on the roadway with the Sudden Impact program. “We have a death in the crash, we have serious injuries, a drunk driver, a sober driver, and all the things students are going to face soon. They’re starting to drive on the highways, they’re going to be going off to college and attending parties, so we’re trying to talk to them at a young age and show them dangers of what can happen if they make poor decisions behind the wheel. A lot of times young people feel that they’re invincible and it’ll never happen to them, but all it takes is one night of making a bad decision and it can affect them for the rest of their life. It’s all about choices and helping these students make better choices on the roadways and I think the presentation made a lasting impact,” said Brennan.