Accurate Performance on Impaired Driving

On Friday, September 8th, the sophomores and juniors of Jesuit were sent to watch a presentation before lunch. What most of the students did not know was that the “presentation” was an enactment of a faux car accident to illustrate the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. When the tarp came up, students saw the chaos of two cars crashed into each other, one with a lifeless body laying on the hood. The crash, according to the narrator (sophomore Nate Constantini), was the result of one driver who had too much to drink at a party after one of the Jesuit football games, and, while making a turn at a busy intersection, was distracted by a cellphone. 

The impaired driver, played by Junior Finn Connolle, got out of his crashed vehicle and began to scream and yell for his friend now laying on top the car. Students watched as Finn portrayed the horror of witnessing the life leave his friend (portrayed by Junior Foster McDaniel) who, as a result of not wearing his seatbelt, was flung out of the car windshield. Ear- shattering screams were heard from the other car, as the passenger, sophomore Keshaun Tervalon, was not wearing a seatbelt, which caused his legs to be severely injured. 

The other driver(sophomore Spencer Waguespack),who was hit by Finn, stepped out of the car, and the two drivers began to blame each other for the terrible accident. Eventually, the police cars and ambulances did arrive, and what followed was possibly the most terrifying of all. Finn was taken into police custody and charged for Foster’s death, with his parents witnessing it all at the police station. Foster’s parents were told the heart- breaking news that their son had been killed, which caused his mother to produce a woeful scream for her deceased son. 

Keshaun had been taken to the Emergency Room, and his father had been told that it was unclear if his son would survive. Finally, at the end of the performance, Junior Matthew Albro delivered a truly heart-shattering letter to his deceased friend Foster. The message of the performance, which was illustrated incredibly due to all the actors’ immense talent, was very clear: stay off the phone when driving; always wear a seat belt; and if you have digested anything intoxicating, never get behind the wheel. When asked about his biggest takeaway from the performance, Keshaun said, “I think it would have to be the family aspect of it. It was a really deep performance where a lot of people including myself ended up crying and learning just a fraction of what people feel after something like that happens.” 

Something very important to note that Keshaun brings up is the fact one bad decision could not only destroy your life, but the lives of your family and friends. “Stay calm,” Foster McDaniel said when asked if he had any advice for student drivers, “Your emotions affect the way you drive way more than you realize. If you feel that you are too angry or sad to drive, have someone else drive you.” Although it might have been looked over, this performance and the advice of the actors all had extremely important messages to which everyone should listen.