ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In a united effort to promote safety during prom and graduation season, the Greece Police Department, Monroe Ambulance, Ridge Road Fire District and Greece Olympia School teamed up for a realistic recreation of a DWI crash.

It all started with a simulated 911 call. 

What You Need To Know

  • Multiple organizations teamed up to promote safety during prom season and graduation

  • The goal was to illustrate the dangers of impaired driving and encourage students to make responsible decisions

  • The DWI simulation program takes place throughout New York State every year around prom season

The demonstration featured a staged crash involving a driver under the influence in hopes of showing high schoolers the dangers of impaired driving.

"We want them to be able to think about their actions ahead of time and make smart decisions so that if they're under the influence, which we hope they never will be, they know better than to get behind the wheel of a car," said Greece Olympia Principal Brandin Jones. 

With the prom season underway and graduation approaching, school officials want students to create lasting memories, but in the right way.

"That's the power of prevention, and that if we can send some of these messages to get students some things to be thinking about as they're making choices, then that's our ultimate goal," said Stephanie Rago, substance abuse prevention coordinator with the Greece Central School District.

Before the simulation, students heard DWI victims' stories and got substance prevention information. Four students participated in the simulation: a sober driver, a drunk driver who gets arrested, a surviving passenger and a student who never graduated.

"We're prepared with our mental health staff. We're prepared with our teachers to prep them," Jones added.

"We don't want to see anybody get hurt, so if we can do this and then spread awareness, and then hopefully from it, somebody makes the right choice," said Brian Gebo, battalion chief for Ridge Road Fire District.

This emotional simulation provided a valuable opportunity for students to understand the real-life consequences of substance abuse.

"I've had family members go through things like this, so I wanted to just spread awareness. It's not cute; it's not fun to drink and drive; horrible things can happen," said Oakley Pero, a student at Greece Olympia School. 

"Our actions have consequences, and those consequences may not be pleasant," Jones said. 

The DWI simulation program takes place throughout New York every year around prom season.