On April 11th, a mob of students with red t-shirts filled Main Street with posters, warning of the dangers that come with distracted driving. But why warn students and teachers, who drive every day to school, now of the dangers of the road? Although driving is a daily danger; it has become a greater danger around this special time of year.
The tradition of Red for Dead has carried on again this year, just days before junior and senior prom. Prom is a very special night for all but Red for Dead puts a perspective on why someone would want to take extra precaution when they are driving to and from the event.
Prom is sometimes known as a night were students let loose, even if it means bending a few rules. One rule that may be broken is drinking under age. Students may be reckless and carefree, and forgetting to take the same precautions that they take on normal days. The activity of Red for Dead is made to raise awareness of the reckless driving that comes with drinking under the influence, and not using cars safety, on the road to Prom.
In hopes of spreading messages to those driving to prom, the Student Government Association arranges a day of silence for those in a designated red t-shirt. The silent students in red represent random students that may have lost their lives or could lose their lives driving recklessly or under the influence. “I’m glad I could show what it would be like if I weren’t here, even though it was super hard to stay quiet the whole day,” commented Lynnie Reed (’15).
The end of Red for Dead is when the students in the red t-shirt stand with mind-boggling posters that raise awareness. “I died at the wheel, and if I had worn my seat belt, I’d still be here.”” Wearing lap/shoulder belts can reduce the risk of dying in a crash by 45%.” Some of the posters leave a haunting thought in students’ head to keep in the back of their mind on the way to and from Prom.
The posters can make a huge impact on student safety while students are driving. They leave a thought in everyone’s mind, of how sad it would be to lose a loved one. The result of Red for Dead this year ended up being a safe Prom weekend for everyone at North Point. The sea of red and the messages accompanying it made for a fun prom night as well as the safety of everyone who drove there.
