BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN
When Sean Van Derklis was just five years old, he watched his aunt die in front of him after she was hit by a drunk driver.
The woman had gone to get the mail on the other side of the road, and she was struck by a speeding car. She flew through the air, landing close to where her young nephew was playing.
“I asked her, 'Are you OK, are you OK?' Her arms were disfigured, her face was mashed in and there was blood everywhere,” says the young man, now 20.
“She said, 'I'm dying, go get some help.' At this time, my parents were working full time and going to university. Although they were my parents, my aunt was the one who taught get dressed, eat, sleep and everything. In that moment, she was taken from me.”
Van Derklis now travels the country for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada, making presentations about the consequences of driving while drunk or high.
He showed about 100 Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School Grade 10 students a video called Mind Control Monday afternoon.
The half-hour long film features several heart-wrenching testimonials from people who have been affected by drinking and driving. It is displayed on three giant screens, and features clips from popular music videos and movies.
Throughout the week, Van Derklis will also present to Grade 7, 8 and 10 students at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, Marymount Academy, College Notre Dame, Ecole secondaire Macdonald-Cartier and Ecole secondaire Hanmer.
“Once the kids see that it (drinking and driving) is happening, and once they see someone like me who is young, they think 'Wow, he could be one of us.' They do pay attention,” he says.
“MADD Canada's office is in Toronto. We say that if we have to drive all the way to British Columbia just to stop one kid from drinking and driving, it's well worth it.”
The film encourages the students to keep control of their minds by not drinking large amounts of alcohol. If they do get drunk, they should make plans to stay where they are for the night or get home safely instead of getting behind the wheel.
They can sign a contract with their parents or other trusted people to pick them up, no matter what, or pre-program the phone number for a taxi company into their cell phones.
Alcohol isn't the only killer on our roads, according to the film. While most teens have never driven home after drinking alcohol, studies show about 11 percent have driven after smoking pot. Marijuana affects people's reaction time and ability to drive.
The film talked about an accident where a driver who had smoked pot killed five people and injured 11 others after he lost control of his car.
“I thought the presentation was really good and really informative,” says 16-year-old Lo-Ellen student Andrew Dube, who hopes to get his G1 driver's license next week. “It's definitely relevant to people in our grade and in high school. I thought it was important.”
Alex Bourdon, 15, says the film was “very descriptive of the effects and consequences of drinking and driving.”
“I don't want to drink and drive because I don't want to be in that situation where I hurt myself or other people. I don't want to face those consequences. The stories of some people are so gruesome and horrible that I would never want to do that.”
