POLICE AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TEAM
PROVIDE REALISTIC EDUCATION ABOUT
DRINKING AND DRIVING

By Macomb-WIU DUI Project Director DR. DENNIS SIGWART
and KELLY MORTIMER, public information specialist, Western Illinois University

The roar of sirens filled the air as emergency vehicles converged on the Western Illinois University campus. Arriving on the scene of a grizzly two-car, six-victim accident were squads from the Macomb Police Department, the Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety, the Illinois State Police and the McDonough County Sheriff's Office. Also responding were the Macomb Fire Department, the Western Emergency Medical Service and the McDonough County coroner.

On the scene they found one victim trapped behind the wheel of his vehicle, a victim thrown halfway through the windshield, a victim lying dead across the street from the accident, a victim dead in the passenger side of a vehicle and two victims with minor injuries. Also found on the scene was enough evidence to arrest a 19-year-old for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Returning from a road trip to Peoria, four high school students in a vehicle traveling 65-miles an hour on a city street collided head-on with a young couple returning to the babysitters from an evening out.

Firefighters used the jaws of life to extricate the driver of one vehicle whose wife died in the accident. Emergency medical personnel worked to stabilize and treat the most seriously injured victims of the crash; the coroner placed victims into body bags; and police officials conducted an investigation of the scene which resulted in an arrest.

The scenario described above was not a real accident, but an enactment of a mock accident designed to show area high school and college students what can happen when drinking and driving mix. It was the fourth mock DUI accident scene held in Macomb.

The purpose of the annual event is to show students in an extremely visual manner what happens in an accident situation. The goal is to ultimately influence students' decisions so they will not drink and drive.

From 1992-94, the Macomb-WIU DUI Task Force provided funding to help make the event a reality. Although the task force has completed its founding mission, the Macomb-WIU DUI project continues to partially fund the mock accident.

Truly a cooperative community effort, the Macomb-WIU DUI project aims to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from crashes caused by intoxicated drivers. Grant funds from the Illinois Department of Transportation support education and enforcement efforts.

Illinois Secretary of State statistics indicate more than 27 percent of serious injury crashes nationwide result from the combination of alcohol and 4,000 pounds of moving metal. Alcohol-related crashes claim a life every 24 minutes. The number of alcohol-related injuries is staggering.

More than 150 spectators viewed first hand what can happen when drinking and driving mix. Media coverage from area television, radio and newspapers also shared the message with numerous viewers, listeners and readers in the region. Organizers and sponsors hope the event has an impact which makes Illinois streets safer.

Plans are underway for the 1995 event, tentatively set for April 21. For additional information, contact Kyle Curry, Western Emergency Medical Association at 309-298-1949.

Page 22 / Illinois Municipal Review / March 1995