MADD, Authorities Partner for Alcohol Awareness at Gaither High

The mangled pickup truck sits on the grass at Gaither High School near the edge of north Dale Mabry Highway. Its broken glass and twisted metal symbolize the effects of drunk driving.

The vehicle is one of many tactics used this week by school officials, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Tampa Police Department and Mothers Against Drunk Driving program specialist Sharon Hall to deter driver's education students at the Carrollwood school from drinking and driving.

During alcohol awareness programs at the school this week, students also toured a breath alcohol testing mobile unit that was parked behind the school. On Tuesday morning, deputies Brian Pulido and Larry Morrell spoke to students about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Dep. Pulido stood inside of the mobile unit, used for saturation checkpoints throughout the year, and stressed the long-term effects of drinking and driving.

"The consequences are too high in terms of what it's going to cause for the rest of your life," he said. "For example, not being able to get jobs, or scholarships being taken away ... look at what it does to your families and other families if you get into a crash."

Call 1.877.MADD.HELP to be connected to a helpline advocate or go to their website, www.madd.org.