This year’s Mock Car Crash was unlike those of previous years.
“It made me stop and think about what happened last year, and how those events could have been prevented,” said senior Nicole Lacey.
The annual event, sponsored by TKE, SADD and Student Affairs seemed to carry extended meanings other than the obvious “Don’t Drink and Drive” on the quad last week.
The harsh realities of driving under the influence are something Quinnipiac students have unfortunately become familiar with. Since last year’s Mock Car Crash, three Quinnipiac students were killed in car accidents associated with alcohol consumption.
“Though this may be disheartening that our message doesn’t resonate throughout the year, I still think it is important and a good event to sponsor to place our hope in the students, that they will remember the emotions they felt during the crash and during the speeches by mothers who have lost daughters or sons,” said Tom Beline, president of TKE.
Senior Jesse Sollosy thinks the event is very important for students.
“It’s meaningful when it happens, but people go about with their business and all is forgotten,” she said.
The event was not on as big a scale as last year’s according to Beline. The 48-degree cold weather and poor timing were thought to have hindered the event’s attendance. Originally the event was planned for 12:30 p.m. when classes were changing, but due to some complications, the event started later than scheduled.
Despite the minor obstacles, Beline said he feels that the event made an impact on the people who were sitting there, quietly listening.
“I hope it made enough impact to where those people will stop their friend by saying ‘hey wait, you’ve had something to drink. I haven’t. Let me drive,'” he said.
The impact on the student body was heightened, said Christine Bremer, president of SADD.
“[The mock car crash] brought people more into reality when they realized that yes, driving under the influence does have negative outcomes and unfortunately many innocent people must suffer the consequences for someone else’s irresponsibility,” said Bremer.
Beline concluded, “If only one person says that, I can say without reservation that this event was a success.”