Melville threw its second annual PARTY, to demonstrate to local teens the grave consequences of impaired driving. A white pickup truck lay in a field. Its fenders and hood caved in, its windshield cracked. On the truck bed, a teenager laid lifelessly in the corner, covered in blood. A truly gruesome and gory scene greeted some high school students just outside of Melville on Thursday morning. Fortunately, it was all staged. The demonstration was part of the second annual post-COVID PARTY program (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth), hosted by the City of Melville and its emergency services, aimed at showing local teenagers the real-life consequences of impaired and distracted driving. “I’m like in the back of the car stuck, so I’m getting like pulled out by firefighters and stuff. Then my character dies later in the hospital,” student actor Mackenzie Calladine told CTV News. Calladine, of course, was fine. She was one of several students portraying victims in a mock crash designed to feel as realistic as possible. “We are putting on a mock accident to show the realism and the impact of drinking and driving, substance abuse and distracted driving,” said Mackenzie Bruce of Melville EMS, one of the main organizers. The set up was as realistic as it gets, with fake blood studded with glass pieces on the victims, a pickup truck covered in red dye, and multiple flashing lights from emergency services. Near the end, even a hearse showed up to take away the teenager who was declared “dead” at the scene. While the events unfolded, about 40 teenagers watched from the nearby dam. There was no laughing or goofing around in their lines. The simulation continued at the hospital’s emergency wing, and later with a mock funeral held at a local funeral home. “They will sit through a mock funeral and see what it feels like to watch one of their friends suffer the consequences of making poor decisions,” Bruce added. For some students watching, the message hit close to home. “Honestly, I’ve been in a car crash, it’s not fun. So, let’s hope lots of people learn and see what happens on site of a car crash,” said Jacob Yellow Wings, a student at Melville Comprehensive School. Others say the experience is important because many of them are new drivers or are getting ready to receive their licenses. “For a group of students who will be getting their license soon, I think it’s really important that they get the opportunity to see the risks of driving. And so, people are a bit more cautious,” said student Sophia Stav. According to organizers, Melville is not currently facing a crisis when it comes to impaired driving, but the message of prevention remains important. “I think it’s just a very terrible thing that happens. And I think a lot of people don’t know how impactful and dangerous it really can be,” Calladine added. After receiving positive feedback from the community last year, organizers hope to continue running the PARTY program for years to come.
