Teens Learn From Mock Accident

Rock Rapids, Iowa — If you were in Rock Rapids Monday morning, April 20th, you may have wondered what all the sirens and the helicopter were about.
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Normally those sounds would mean a tragic incident had probably taken place. In this case the idea was to hopefully prevent a tragic incident. Central Lyon High School students have their prom this coming weekend, and according to Lyon County Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep, Monday’s event was a mock accident to teach teens the dangers of driving while intoxicated and driving distracted.

Vander Stoep tells us how the ball got rolling for the mock accident.
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He says Central Lyon teachers, staff, and administrators played a major role as well. Vander Stoep says they brought in two vehicles, one from Lems Auto Recyclers in Doon, and one that had been donated to the fire department a while back. The accident vehicles were pre-set and then draped with a tarp, he says.


The Sheriff says when responders arrived, they went through the process as if it were a real accident.


He tells us about the reaction from students and staff.
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Vander Stoep says after the accident, the students went back inside the school. A short time later, they heard some speakers talk about the dangers of alcohol and the dangers of distracted driving.


Central Lyon’s prom is this Friday night, April 24th.

Photo credit: Arden Kopishke/Lyon County Emergency Management
Thanks to Rock Rapids Fire Chief Ed Reck for forwarding them.

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