Sergeant Andrew Pike of Holbrook highway patrol described arriving at a scene where a teenager had driven head-on into a tree.

Among the wreckage was a smashed mobile phone sitting at the drivers side.

The exercise was part of a Get Your Hands off it presentation attended by about 350 students.

The Greater Hume Shire Youth Committee created a short film for the event  which encouraged drivers not to text behind the wheel.

Road safety officer at Greater Hume, Lockhart and Urana Shire Councils, Shelagh Merlin, organised the event and wanted students to be active in teaching their peers.

Mrs Merlin said she noticed mobile phone use was becoming a bigger issue on the road.

“I was really impressed, you never really know how these things are going to work, but it went very well,” she said.

“I hope it will have the impact I’d hoped for, if nothing else I hope it made them think.”

Students were encouraged to take the message home after nearly the whole school raised their hands when asked how many of their parents use their phone while driving.

Crash-survivor, Megz Pigram, part of the Cool Heads presentation told students about the devastating impact her accident had on her life.

Ms Pigram was driving three of her girl friends Canberra and every so often she would glance over at a message on a friend’s phone screen.

But one of those lapses in concentration was enough for her to hit an on-coming car.

She told the students about her injuries, the medical bills, the cost of the car, which she is still paying for, the pain medication she continues to take and the severe mental impact of the crash.

The event was aimed at students from year seven to year 12 who have their licences, or will be looking to go for their learner permit in coming years.