Greater Mankato first responders stage fatal car crash, educate students on dangers of distracted driving

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Loyola Catholic students walked into a scene where distracted driving caused a two-vehicle crash, which resulted in several injuries and the “death” of a fellow student.

Mankato Public Safety Director Jeremy Clifton said, “The issue really surrounds why texting while driving and distracted driving can cause crashes, sometimes fatal crashes.”

An officer speaking to the students said, “A 2025 AAA report saw that distracted driving was a factor nearly in six out of 10 moderate or severe accidents involving teens.”

Clifton said he’s seen the real thing time and again and wishes he didn’t have to respond to any accidents like this.

“If it’s only one this month or one next year, one is too many,” Clifton said.

Clifton says, unfortunately, it’s not just the students that need to hear this.

“We hope anyone who sees what’s going on today has a lesson learned and can share that at the dinner table tonight. Or can share that this weekend when they’re having fun events,” Clifton said.

The school says this is well timed with homecoming weekend upon them and they want to remind their students to keep safety first and fun second.

Interim Head of School Shelley Schultz said, “How many students or friends can be in the vehicle with you at one time? Its parameters about what time of the day that you’re driving in the morning in the evening. You know what your curfew is?”

In order for kids to not end up airlifted away or in the back of a hearse, Schultz says it’s up to the parents to set those boundaries.

“It’s a partnership with the parents, that they set those parameters with their student, and that they have the hard talks with them,” Schultz explained.

Law enforcement encourages adults to have these conversations with their young drivers as a reminder to us all of the dangers of distracted driving.

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