On Thursday, just before the school’s prom, South Point High students began their day by being taken out on the school’s lot, where they watched a tragic scene unfold in the blink of an eye.
A three-vehicle accident, caused by a drunk driver, claimed a life and led to emergency personnel descending on the campus.

Of course, it was all a simulation, and part of a presentation by emergency crews about the dangers of driving while intoxicated.

This is something they stage every few years, to educate students on the risks that could come on prom night and beyond and, as principal Dean Nance said, is a lesson they should remember forever.

We commend everyone who was involved in putting this event together, from the crews of the South Point, Perry Township and Fayette Township volunteer fire departments, police and EMS workers, Cogan’s Wrecker service, who donated the vehicles used, and South Point students, who played the parts of the drivers and victims.

It may not have been a pleasant scene to watch, but it was illustrative of how quickly a tragedy can occur from a careless and selfish act.

We hope all students who watched last week took the lesson to heart.