Mock crash a life lesson

Donnybrook District High School’s Year 10 students saw first-hand the dangers of inattention when they attended a mock car crash on Tuesday.

The ninth annual Road Trauma Prevention Day exercise drove home the “Zero Excuses” message, with Donnybrook volunteer firefighters, paramedics and police donating their time to demonstrate what happens in a real-life emergency situation.

Deputy principal and Fire and Rescue Service volunteer Garry Davis said this year’s event was especially poignant after a local student died in a car crash last month. “That is what makes this so pointed, a couple of the kids here went to his funeral,” he said.

“The simple fact is students need to take away the risk factors that are involved and must realise it only takes one second to destroy a life.

“If we can prevent that in any way, shape or form we will do our best as a whole community to stop it happening ever again if we can.”

With some of the students weeks away from getting their learner’s permits, Mr Davis hoped the message would sink in before they got behind the wheel.