DHS students make ‘Prom Promise’

The Daleville Department of Public Safety held its "Prom Promise" demonstration to show Daleville High School students the effects of drinking or texting and driving on Tuesday, March 19.

During the demonstration, Daleville police, fire and rescue squad members responded to a staged wreck at DHS, where students were injured or declared fatalities while another was arrested for impaired driving.

First responders showed students the lengths they take to remove injured individuals from vehicles, and law enforcement officers followed procedures in documenting the accident and injuries.

Survival Flight also took part in the event, carrying one injured passenger away in a helicopter.

To further emphasize the need to be safe while driving during prom and spring break festivities, DHS students who were declared fatalities during the event wore black and were asked to not speak to others to represent the deaths caused by impaired driving. The student who was “arrested” for causing the accident wore a lime green jumpsuit to signify the consequences of impaired driving.

The event was held to encourage DHS students to make good decisions on Friday, March 22, or prom night for juniors and seniors. The theme of good decisions was echoed by Dale County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mason Bynum.

“Friday night, you’ll be faced with a lot of decisions,” Bynum told students. “It’ll be the first time, really, that some of you will have some tough decisions to make, and we want you to make the right decision.”

He said many people believe an accident caused by texting and driving, or other forms of impaired driving, will not happen to them.

“I can assure you, there’s a lot of people who said that same thing that it happened to them,” he said. “The decisions you will make (during prom) will follow you the rest of your life.

“I’ve often said spending the night in jail is often the best case scenario you can have if you drink and drive because the worst case scenario is, you hurt an innocent person or kill them. Not only will you have to be in prison for a significant amount of time, but you’ll have to live with that, and I couldn’t imagine doing that.”

He told students the Dale County Sheriff’s Office would take students home “no questions asked” if they are impaired and should not drive.

Dale County Assistant District Attorney Emmett Massey said students should have a plan for prom night and not make decisions last minute.

He shared biblical references, citing Proverbs 29:18, of making last minute decisions, stating “if you wait and you don’t have any idea about what’s coming down the road… you’re going to make the wrong decision.

“It takes a very, very, very confident person to do that right thing,” he said, encouraging students to assess the consequences of drinking and texting and driving.

He also spoke about those consequences, which include the possibility of receiving criminal charges.

“It’s really not worth it for just a couple of hours,” he said. “The consequences go really, really far beyond just (a wreck) and you being hurt, and I want you guys to think about that.”

SGA Secretary Joseph Gordon shared statistics with his fellow students to further show the impact of impaired driving.

“Ten percent of all drivers under the age of 21 involved in a fatal car crash were reported as being distracted at the time of the crash,” he said, encouraging his fellow students to not text and drive. “According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, in the last three years, approximately 300 teens have died in alcohol related accidents during prom weekends.

“That’s almost our whole school, so don’t drink and drive.”

Following the event, DHS seniors signed their names on the hood one of the vehicles used in the demonstration as a promise to stay safe while driving during prom festivities.

The vehicle hood was left outside the school until Friday, March 22, as a reminder of their promise.