CLARKSVILLE, Mo. — Last Friday, in the final period of the day, the Clopton faculty and student council put on an extensive demonstration on the dangers of distracted driving. 

Alongside this, it displayed the danger of driving while inebriated, as well as texting in driving. The demonstration started off with the Missouri State Highway Patrol sharing first hand experience as well as a powerful video that showcased survivors and past accidents in Missouri. This video, along with the officers speaking, really hammered home the importance of staying attentive, sober, and safe while driving. It also discussed just how much a seat belt can help in an accident, on average bringing survival rate up by 40-50 percent. 

After this, a live reenactment took place in which four students, one playing the part of an intoxicated driver, were in what appeared to be a severe accident. The display featured actual wrecked vehicles. In the reenactment, police, paramedics, and firefighters were on the scene, and carried out everything that would have been done in an actual accident, including the removal of a visibly injured student, who was put on a stretcher by EMT’s, and carried to an ambulance. 

All of Clopton High School is very grateful to those involved in this project, from the four student, Josh Harvey, Adam Lindsay, Shae Williams, and Faith Myers, as well as Mrs. Henderson who played a big part in coordinating this. 

Along with these students, the students showed thanks to the Pike County Sheriff Department, Tyler Beauchamp, the organizing EMT; as well as Read LaFave, who organized the fire department from Eolia. Additionally, the MSHP, and with them Dan Bochinski, who contributed valuable information.