Parents Write Obituaries Of Children Involved In Mock Crash To Teach Dangers Of Drinking, Texting While Driving

BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- Parents in Northampton County are writing obituaries of their children as part of a program to teach students the dangers of drinking and texting while driving.

The Bethlehem Township Police Department has teamed up with Freedom High School for the "Every 15 Minutes" program next month to raise awareness of these types of crashes.

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High school students and their parents will witness a mock crash while students involved in the crash will be rescued, treated, resuscitated, arrested or taken to the morgue.

Parents will work with a local funeral home to make their child's funeral arrangements, including picking out a casket.

The students involved in the mock crash will be involved in a retreat where they will write letters to their parents, telling them how much they mean to them. Their parents won't see their children until the following morning when a professionally recorded video will be viewed at the school.

"All the parents of the students selected to participate were invited to a meeting in which they wrote their child(ren)'s obituary and discussed the impact of potentially losing their child to an alcohol-related or texting while driving crash," the statement reads.

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A funeral will then be held on May 3 at the school for the students who "died" in the crash.

"This emotionally charged program is an event designed to dramatically instill the consequences of drinking alcohol, using drugs, and/or texting while driving to teenagers. This powerful program will challenge students to thinking about drinking, texting while driving, using drugs, personal safety, and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved," the statement reads.

The program will take place from May 2-3.