The radio calls, sirens and equipment used by first responders were real.

Fortunately, the injuries were not.

A mock crash was held Friday at Eisenhower Middle High School.

Coordinated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the exercise brought many organizations together. Lander, Russell, and Sugar Grove volunteer fire departments participated, as did EmergyCare and Borden Funeral Home among other agencies.

First responders from Landers and Russell VFDs were able to practice on removing the top from a vehicle during Friday’s mock crash at Eisenhower.

“We care about you,” Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy Rachel Canfield told the students. “We don’t want anything bad to happen to you on prom night, graduation and moving forward.”

After the crash, an assembly was held to highlight the lessons that the crash imparted – the drastic consequences that can come so quickly from bad decisions in these kinds of scenarios.

PenDOT crash data for 2022 shows a total of 183,558 drivers were involved in crashes.

Over 21,000 of that total were between the ages of 16 and 20.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Information, young male drivers are more than twice as likely to be involved in fatal crashes than young female drivers.

“In 2020 there were 1,885 young drivers who died in traffic crashes, a 17-percent increase from 1,616 in 2019,” the data shows. “Young drivers accounted for 8.5 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2020. However, young drivers were only 5.1 percent of all licensed drivers in 2020.”

This marks the third mock crash held this spring throughout the county. The last two Fridays saw similar demonstrations held at Tidioute Community Charter School and Sheffield Area MIddle HIgh School.