Mock Accident Teaches Local Teens Consequences
Every 15 minutes someone dies in an alcohol-related car accident. That was the statistic in 1995 when a program called Every 15 Minutes was first adopted by the California Highway Patrol to give teens a realistic look at the dangers of drinking and driving with the goal of reducing alcohol-related incidents. Thankfully, today fewer people die from alcohol-related car accidents but drinking and driving as well as distracted driving by teens continues to be a problem—often because teens’ feelings of invincibility lead to poor choices.
To encourage young people to think about the consequences of their actions and to help prevent alcohol-related car accidents, CHP, Alameda County Fire Department, and Sutter’s Eden Medical Center, among other local organizations, recently teamed up with students and teachers from Castro Valley High School to stage an Every 15 Minutes two-day program.
“Taking part in the program makes the staff feel like we are working to prevent these accidents,” says Jennifer Vegas, an emergency and trauma nurse at Eden. “It’s very rewarding to me as a nurse to know that we potentially kept these kids from getting into cars after drinking—or maybe even prevent them from drinking at all.”
Nurses, doctors, and other Eden trauma center staff partnered with public agencies, community organizations, and local businesses to create a simulated traffic accident followed by “injured” students being transported by ambulance to Eden’s emergency department for treatment. The event was videotaped and then shared with the CVHS student body to encourage students to think about the impact of their decisions.
“The choices we make as drivers have consequences that can define and affect us for the rest of our lives,” says CHP Officer Daniel Jacowitz. “At CHP, we want teens to understand that consequences can be severe when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Not only for them but for their passengers, their families, and first responders, too.”
Other organizations taking part were the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau and Court Services, Reach Air Medical Services, Eden Medical Center Philanthropy, Falck Alameda County, Westmed Ambulance, San Leandro Police Department, Jess C. Spencer Mortuary, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Jack James Towing.
