Students in the Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School junior and senior classes Wednesday attended a “Choose to Live” assembly addressing the responsibility of making good decisions when operating motor vehicles.

There were no state troopers warning of tickets for careless driving, no graphic videos of accidents that had happened to other people, no boring lectures with rules and directives.

The speakers were real people with real stories.

The vehicles in the O-W parking lot were real vehicles with real teenagers in them who put themselves in the roles of those who had been in accidents involving alcohol. A mock accident — wrecked vehicles, emergency personnel responding, one individual being zipped into a body bag, one being taken away in handcuffs and two being transported by ambulance — gave students an eyewitness view of the reality of drunk driving.

“Far too many teenagers are dying on South Carolina roads because of drunk driving, speeding and/or failure to wear a seatbelt,” O-W Student Body President Isaiah Jones said in opening the program.

With prom season in mind, Jones said, “Hopefully you will listen, learn and pledge to improve your attitudes toward how you and your loved ones handle themselves behind the wheel.”

Traci Thompson, state victim services coordinator with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, spoke of her near-death experience in a collision with a drunk driver in another state when she was 19. Her injuries included a broken neck and jaw and the collapse of a lung.

Thompson said the person who hit the vehicle she was traveling in already had four DUI convictions and spent only 90 days in jail. Her experience prompted her to become an advocate for those injured or killed by drunk drivers.

“By the grace of God, I’m here to be the voice of those who did not survive,” said Thompson, adding that South Carolina is one of the top states for fatalities due to drunk driving.

“I know you feel invincible, like accidents happen to other people,” Thompson told the students. “Well, to other people, you are other people.”

“Think about your choices. Every choice has a consequence, good or bad. Think and wear a seatbelt,” Thompson said. “Every 31 minutes someone will die as the result of (an accident with) a drunk driver.”

Dannon Forbes, whose two children were killed in a collision in which an inebriated 50-year-old illegal alien crossed over the center line and hit a vehicle head-on, said, “The emotional pain is unbearable.”

“We love you and cherish you. You are the brightest thing that ever happened to a parent,” said Forbes, a speaker for M.A.D.D. and Victims of Illegal Alien Crime. “Before you take that drug, before you take that drink, think about the look on your mother’s face when a S.C. state trooper comes knocking at her door. Go look good in your dress and your tux and arrive alive back at the house. Do not make a bad decision. Don’t make a decision to take you and your future out of our lives.”

O-W Junior Ebony Rouse said the remarks of Forbes and others during the program made her think.

“It’s a scary thing if you really think about it,” she said. “I don’t know if I could lose two children or if I could put myself in the position of the lady who broke her neck. It’s important to always wear a seat belt.”

After the presentation in the auditorium, students proceeded to the parking lot where the mock accident demonstration was staged. Participating in the event were O-W drama students Vincent Cook, Ke’Andra Johnson, Isaiah Jones and David Sanders.

Senior Ke’Andra Johnson said, “It’s not just about drunk driving. You should think about who you ride with regardless. Drivers need to be responsible. Whether you are going down the street or just two doors over, you should be responsible and put on your seat belt.”

Junior Shareckia Dixon said the program “lets you know that people who get hurt in car crashes with drunk people are real and that there are serious consequences for drinking and driving.”

“The program was very inspirational and touched my heart. It showed that you should never drive under the influence of alcohol and you should always wear your seat belt,” junior Fantasia Battle said.

Wednesday’s event was provided through the efforts of the O-W Student Council, the Junior Class, Coach Alex Barron and Coach Ronnie Baker and by Orangeburg County Emergency Services personnel.

“We want prom to be a memorable experience because of the pretty dress a girl was wearing, not because someone made a decision to drive drunk and take the lives of others or themselves,” Charles Gregory, O-W assistant principal, said.

T&D Correspondent Donna L. Holman can be reached by e-mail at ladyflyer7@msn.com.

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