In just one year drivers aged 16 to 24 were involved in 28 percent of all drunk-driving accidents. However, people aged 16 to 24 only make up 14 percent of the nation’s overall population. In an attempt to make teens more aware of the risks of drunk driving senior, Makenzie White has made it her senior project.

On the afternoon of May 3, White will be hosting her senior project at Woodland. Her project is going to be a mock car crash, which she has been planning since the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

The mock car crash is a tradition at Woodland and is usually done as a senior project every two years. On the years when the mock car crash is not done Woodland Student Council puts on a “Day of the Dead”.

During this day student council members volunteer as victims and every 42 minutes the bell rings indicating one of their deaths. When a death occurs the students face is painted white in order to make it obvious to other students. At the end of the day all of the victims stand in the front lobby, so the students exiting school are impacted by their presence.

The purpose of White doing her senior project on May 3 is because it is a week before prom. An important part of Woodland’s prom is making sure that students do not put themselves at risk by drinking and driving. However, since prom is not until May 10, part of White’s project will also be to make a Public Service Announcement the day before on May 9.

Around prom the number of accidents among high school students increases and White is hoping her senior project can help prevent these accidents from occurring.

“The purpose of the mock car crash is to bring attention to not drinking and driving, at prom specifically” said White.

The reason White feels it is important to also do a Public Service Announcement is because only juniors and seniors have the ability to attend the mock car crash. However, junior and seniors are not the only students who attend prom and White wants to ensure that all students are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving.

White is hoping that by showing students the dangers of drunk driving and the real life affects that it could have students will think twice before drinking and driving. Aside from White, nine other students will be helping act out the mock car crash and they will also be involved in the Public Service Announcement. Cal Brennan, is helping White to get the firefights, police officers, and life star involved all of which will be present during the mock car crash.

Although it would be beneficial to students to have the mock car crash every year, it is a lot of work to put together and it hard to get everyone committed to doing the project each year.

“The mock car crash is really just to help kids and make them think before they make a mistake,” said White. “I hope that my senior project can bring awareness about the true dangers of drinking and driving and will encourage everyone not to drink and drive, especially on prom night.”