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eyesUP: Onamia High School Mock Crash

Statistics show teens are at greatest risk on the road due to inexperience, risk-taking behind the wheel, speeding and one of the biggest factors... distracted driving. 

ONAMIA, Minn.- It's graduation season, school is coming to a close for many districts around the state, which means more teen drivers will be out on the roads.

Statistics show teens are at greatest risk on the road due to inexperience, risk-taking behind the wheel, speeding and one of the biggest factors... distracted driving.

"We need to send a message to them to cause a moment of pause to allow them to understand that the choices they make behind the wheel can impact not only themselves and their families but strangers and others and their families," said Captain Jason LaSart with the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, each year 30 teenagers are killed on Minnesota roads because of underage drinking, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, and one of the biggest contributors to teen traffic crashes, distracted driving.

"We need to keep awareness alive.. distracted driving is the new buzz word and has become more prevalent in involving these crashes that we're seeing today," said Capt. LaSart.

Officials with the Mille Lacs county Sheriffs Department hope the mock crash will change these students' behavior when behind the wheel... especially when that visual is combined with the power of speaker Matt Logan, who shares the tragic story of his daughter Deej.

"We need to keep that message alive (that) this isn't going away, this issue is here to stay and the better we can educate and send that message to our young students the better they are going to be off in the future and past hat message on," said Capt. LaSart.

Onamia High School and the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office are taking matters into their own hands by showing students what happens after a crash occurs.

A number of school districts around the state hold these mock crashes, especially around prom and graduation time. Matt Logan has has shared his message at well over 100 schools and counting, sharing his daughter's story in hopes it sparks real change.

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