SANDPOINT — It is — almost — a rite of spring for Sandpoint High School seniors: the day when students and faculty put together a scenario to show imminent graduates the dire consequences of driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or driving while distracted.

The stage was the parking lot in front of school, and the props were two smashed SUVs. Before seniors began emerging from the commons where they experienced the classroom portion of their DUI education, volunteers were squeezing ketchup blood on the doors and windows of the wrecks to realistic effect.

The students with roles to play piled into the two vehicles. Their clothing was torn and bloodied, just like in a real accident. As their classmates poured out of the building and began filling the bleachers on the edges of the parking lot, participants from the police, sheriff's office, state patrol, and the fire department came rushing to the scene, lights flashing and sirens wailing.

An announcer set the scene and the responders got to work. Some had pry tools to access the passenger compartments. Others had generators and power tools. Meanwhile, a helicopter touched down in the adjacent parking lot, and two helmeted EMTs emerged to claim the seriously injured and whisk them away to a major medical facility.

As workers began to pull drivers and passengers from the wrecks, the announcer provided some background information on each individual, including college plans, high school achievements and the names of family members. According to the scenario, one boy died at the scene, a girl was hurt and had to be airlifted out and another boy had bloody but minor injuries.

As the crowd watched the scene unfold, silence largely prevailed. Few snickers were heard, and no derisive comments. The seniors seemed to understand that the simulated DUI scenario could really happen to them if they got into a car when compromised by drugs or alcohol, or if they chose to text while driving.