Mars mock crash shows students dangers of DUI

April 08, 2025 Last Updated: April 08, 2025 11:28 PM Local News

Mars Area High School students watch as law enforcement cuts the doors off a car to rescue a “car crash victim” at the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Fake bodies and blood sprawled across the scene of a mock fatal accident to help visualize the message for Mars students: Don’t drink and drive.

Mars Area High School students watched as local EMS, police and fire departments responded to a mock accident involving “deceased” and “severely injured” victims Tuesday, April 8, in the auditorium parking lot.

The assembly, which occurs every other year for juniors and seniors, was designed to resemble a real accident in order to demonstrate the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Adams Area Fire District, Adams Township Police Department, Butler County Coroner personnel, Butler County 911 personnel, Callery Volunteer Fire Company, Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company, AHN Pre-Hospital Response, AHN LifeFlight, Quality EMS and Classic Automotive all participated in the mock crash assembly, according to the school district.

“This program’s been going on for a long time, even 30 years ago,” Curt Huffman, chief of the Callery Volunteer Fire Company, said. “It shows the importance and the consequences of drinking and driving. It gives students the visualization of what could happen and hopefully acts as a deterrent.”

The event is part of Mars Area High School’s prom promise campaign, and is sponsored by the school’s REACH, Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help, program.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which does not yet have 2024 statistics, 40,823 drivers were arrested in 2023 for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania. However, this was down from over 42,400 in 2022.

According to PennDOT, 35% of crash deaths in Pennsylvania involve an impaired driver.

PennDOT also emphasizes additional costs associated with getting arrested for driving under the influence. This includes traffic fines up to thousands of dollars, hundreds of dollars in towing, legal fees, costs for treatment, education and insurance premium increases.

Pennsylvania also has a zero tolerance law for drivers under 21. Those under 21 who drive with a .02 blood alcohol content or greater could be convicted and face jail time and a 12 to 18 month license suspension.

Adams Area Fire District firefighters cut the doors off a vehicle involved in a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

John Hanovick, chief deputy coroner, said that Butler County has been lucky to not have any DUI-related fatalities involving high schoolers that he can remember, though there have been some adult fatalities involving drunk driving.

He said it’s good the schools take on these efforts to warn students of the consequences.

“We’re pretty fortunate kids here haven’t had a lot of problems with it. I don’t know about nonfatal incidents but I can’t remember a case in the 11 years I’ve been involved,” Hanovick said. “But we’ve had this almost every year. I think the way the schools handle these have been good. Butler county has been fortunate.”

Brandon Makin, a dispatcher for Butler County Emergency Services and the main organizer of the event since 2013, said it’s important for students to see the consequences of drunk driving in order to prevent it from happening.

“I’ve seen the ins and outs of accidents, fires, a little bit of everything related. I’ve seen the consequences of drunk driving,” Makin said. “It’s important that students see this.”

Makin also wants young people to understand how important avoiding all distractions while driving a vehicle is, whether it’s not getting behind the wheel when under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or something as small as looking down for too long while changing the radio station.

“If you take your eyes off of the road for one second, that’s all it takes. It could be as simple as people in the back seat being loud, a simple distraction, it could involve anyone in the car,” Makin said. “You could be impaired, but it doesn’t have to involve alcohol or drugs, distracted driving can be a little bit of everything.”

Quality EMS personnel load a “car crash victim” into an ambulance at the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Adams Area Fire District, Callery and Middlesex Township volunteer fire company firefighters work to free an entrapped “car crash victim” during a mock car crash scene in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Law enforcement assesses a “deceased car crash victim” at the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Law enforcement assess the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Adams Area Fire District arrives to the scene of a mock car crash in the auditorium parking lot at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Adams Area Fire District, and Callery and Middlesex Township volunteer fire company firefighters work to free an entrapped “car crash victim” during a mock car crash scene in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Mars Area High School students watch as law enforcement cut the doors off a car to rescue a “car crash victim” at the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Adams Area Fire District, Callery Volunteer Fire Company and Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company firefighters work to free an entrapped “car crash victim” during a mock car crash scene in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Butler County chief deputy coroner John Hanovick with the aid of Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company firefighters put a “deceased car crash victim” into a body bag during a mock car crash scene in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Butler County Chief Deputy Coroner John Hanovick with the aid of Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company firefighters zips up a body bag with a “deceased car crash victim” inside during a mock car crash scene in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Mars Area High School students watch and wait for law enforcement personnel to arrive at the scene of a mock car crash in the parking lot of the auditorium at Mars Area High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips