The hood reads: It took all day to wreck this car. In reality, a wreck like this can happen in two seconds. Nearly 20 percent of all fatal crashes involving teens happened because alcohol was a factor, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
David Richter, a senior, puts on a pair of safety glasses, a heavy jacket, and a pair of work gloves provided by firefighter Brad Davis before he takes his turn putting a few fresh dents in the sedan provided by Northside Auto Dismantlers. The car was provided free by the yard and will be scrapped when the fire department is done with it. The fire department hopes the exercise will not only get students talking, but thinking about the topic of intoxicated driving.
Tyson Hancock and Kaitiey Penrod, right, both juniors get ready to put a few dents in the Ford Tempo. Though there weren’t many students at the beginning of lunch, the car and spectacle would draw a sizable crowd as students began to return from getting food.
Kaitiey Penrod, left, and Tyson Hancock, both Juniors each take a few swings at the car. Miles City Fire and Rescue EMT Adrian Davis hopes their ability to participate in “wrecking” the car will reinforce the message their trying to send: don’t drive while intoxicated, and don’t get in the car with someone who is either.
David Richter, a senior at CCDHS, spent a few minutes putting more than a few dents in the sedan stationed near the front of the high school’s student parking lot. During their lunch break on Wednesday afternoon anyone who wanted to could take a swing at the car with a sledgehammer under the careful supervision of Miles City Fire and Rescue firefighters and EMTs.
A CCDHS student gets ready to take a swing at the relatively pristine Ford Tempo at the beginning of the day on Wednesday. It took all day, but the sedan ended up looking like it had been in a bad wreck.
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