Traveling Exhibits

The Lewis Henry Morgan Institute’s “One Second” Exhibit Series explores the stories of crash victims across New York State. These forensic-style exhibits focus on high-risk factors such as: the combination of driving and alcohol and/or drug use, excessive speed, and distractions, such as phone use and texting while driving. In addition, the importance of seat belt use is underscored in cases where a lack of seat belt use greatly increased the severity of a victim’s injuries or contributed to a victim’s death.

“The power lies in the telling of the lives of the victims… the timeline of the crash where you see how a series of easily-made decisions has a terrible result.”
– Dr. Andrew Wolfe, Executive Director

Each exhibit includes:

• Statements: Accounts from survivors, family members, friends and members of the community affected by the crash
• Newspapers: Local news coverage of the crash
• Timelines: The chain of events leading up to the crash and the events immediately following
• Aftermath: Victim’s statements read at trial and the outcome of any court proceedings available at the time of the exhibit’s creation

“I am a teacher at Eastridge High School and was a teacher of Henry Rivera.  I chose to view your exhibit privately rather than with students because it was very emotional for me, as a teacher and as a parent.  The exhibit was very well presented, combining just the right mix of information and emotion.  Our students have been bombarded with media messages about drinking and driving and they tend to simply tune them out now… This display, especially the personal items in the glass display cases, caught their attention.  I observed other classes walking through and found most of the students to be engaged and moved.  I want to express my appreciation for your efforts in continuing this campaign.  I truly believe we cannot spread this message too far or too often.”

– Feedback from Cheryl Distenfeld, Curriculum Leader- Special Education, 504 Coordinator relating to the Illicit Drugs Exhibit

As you tour and reflect these exhibits, you’ll get to know their stories and legacies. They had everything to live for, but everyday life met a culture of the extreme and in one second, everything changed.

Prescription Drug Exhibit:

This display detailing the dangers of driving while under the influence of powerful prescription drugs is striking and cautionary.  Large, freestanding, vertical panels contain newspaper articles, timelines, personal statements, and profiles of the drivers and victims.

Three Upstate New York traffic incidents are described, in which drivers who underestimated the effects that prescription drugs would have on their ability to drive safely killed a total of five people.  The three drivers were coincidentally all women in their fifties, not the kind of people you expect to cause murder and mayhem on the roads.

The victims were an 11-year old girl, sitting in the back seat of a van that was rear-ended at a school bus stop, an adult male bicyclist who was run over and dragged up the road, and three women who were struck and killed while standing in the covered front entryway to a church.

“I teach driver education to high school students each summer, and I was aware of the problems that prescription drugs and even over-the-counter drugs can cause for drivers, but this exhibit really drove that point home.”

– Theodore Pfohl, Weekend Librarian, Cayan Library, SUNY POLY