MITCHELL, Neb., – Mitchell High School was the scene of a mock car crash Tuesday morning, and the students became witnesses to the impact distracted driving can have on students, their school, their families, and the community.

The morning-long event was planned and implemented by Regional West Health Services to dramatically instill in high school students the potentially dangerous consequences of distracted driving.

The school day began without fanfare as students gathered in the auditorium to hear a presentation by retired state trooper Chuck Elley about the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of wearing seat-belts. Elley’s program included videos and photos of motor vehicle crashes nationwide and some he responded to locally. The presentation was interrupted by the announcement of a car accident near the high school.

The students were directed outside to a nearby street where they saw two wrecked cars. Student actors role-played the part of injured passengers. One by one, first responders arrived on the scene as if reacting to a real life event.

When the students returned to the high school auditorium, they watched a video of the student actors being treated at Regional West Emergency Department. It was filmed in advance with Corbin Batt, Naomi Arroyo, Bethany Sterkel, and Othaniel Banks, who portrayed accident victims. Kalem Jackson and Zane Blomenkamp also assisted in planning the event and videotaping the hospital scene.

The dramatization continued as the actors, in full makeup depicting their injuries, appeared on stage.

The program ended with a discussion of the event and debriefing by Regional West staff members and trauma surgeon Rommie Hughes, MD. Students were advised to contact their counselors if they want to privately discuss the impact of the day’s dramatization.

The event was coordinated through Regional West Trauma Services department by Trauma Program Manager Susan Wilson, RN, BSN, Education Coordinator Dallas Schaffer, and Community Health Injury Prevention Nurse Teresa Thomas, RN, BSN.

The City of Mitchell, Mitchell Police Department, Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department, Mitchell Public Schools, Ron’s Towing and Storage and Valley Ambulance Services also participated in planning and staging the mock accident.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 in-network providers, and 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.