Point Blank student club makes texting and driving film

March 13, 2011 7:07 pm
Orcas EMTS during the mock texting and driving accident.
Orcas EMTS during the mock texting and driving accident.

by Dylan Holmes

Point Blank president

An epidemic is sweeping across America causing drivers everywhere to black out for five seconds at a time. It’s called texting and driving.

Texting behind the wheel of a moving vehicle causes one’s eyes to leave the road for an average of five seconds, which may not seem like a long period of time but at 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field – completely blind. Surveys tell us that 30 percent of all teens are texting and driving and 48 percent ride with people who text and drive.

In response to these unnerving facts, Orcas High School’s Point Blank Club, a chapter of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), is collaborating with Orcas Towing and Orcas Island Fire Department and EMT Associations to create a video reenactment of a car crash as a result of a texting driver. This group is working along side other community volunteers from the Orcas fire and rescue teams, the Orcas Police Department, and Bennett Video Productions, which have graciously offered to film our presentation for a nominal fee.

Point Blank will present this video to students, their parents and Orcas High School staff, Orcas Christian School students, and you, our community members. The presentation will be held on Wednesday, April 6 in the high school gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. We will view the video and then hold a brief question and answer segment at the end. A parent tips sheet will be available and attendees will be asked to sign a pledge promising to never text and drive. As president I invite any and all to come join us and show your support.

After presenting to the community, Point Blank will then travel to the Spring Youth Prevention Summit in Grand Mount, Wash. on May 19 to show the presentation to another 300 students. Finally, Point Blank will submit this video to the online “Act Out Loud” contest. Here we will be competing against many other prevention groups from around the country. Gaining recognition as the video that received the most online votes would allow us to win a substantial monetary award. We ask for our community to visit http://www.actoutloud.org and cast your vote! Voting will open on May 16 and continue until May 22. Email Point Blank advisor Julie Pinardi at pointblank@orcasonline.com for more information.