"That would never happen to me." This might be something you've thought about before when hearing about a person who was killed or seriously injured in a drunk driving accident. This is even something that your teenager or children have thought before. The denial may even go so far as, "I can drive just fine after a drink or two." The potential dangers of drunk driving are real and no one is immune to its reach. Sacramento drunk driving accident attorneys are all too familiar with the devastating affects auto accidents caused by drunk drivers impose upon injury victims and their families. Since April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, issues surrounding drunk driving awareness and prevention have also been circulating, and rightfully so.
A recent Valley Community Newspapers article highlights a stirring and effective "Every 15 Minutes" (EFM) program that was held at a Sacramento high school. The program demonstrates the serious, life-threatening consequences of drunk driving to high school students by presenting a "re-enactment" of a drunk driving accident with a fatality on the campus. At the time of this program's creation in 1995, there was an alcohol-related death in a motor vehicle crash every 15 minutes.
"Every 15 Minutes" programs are typically planned in secrecy and presented to high school students without notification. The reason for this is to evoke the same emotions students would experience after learning about the loss of a loved one, friend, or fellow classmate due to a Sacramento alcohol-related car crash. Enactments hosted by this program are presented in the same steps as a real auto accident scene, but the events are usually narrated by a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer.
According to the article, the CHP manages the organization of grants for EFM and costs for producing the event can be as high as $50,000. Parents or schools interested in learning more about how this program can visit http://www.chp.ca.gov/programs/fifteen.html.
Data provided by the CHP states that in 2009, over 700 individuals in California died in a motor vehicle collision where the primary cause was driving under the influence (DUI) and an additional 19,805 individuals suffered injury under the same circumstances.
Parents are vital role-models in their children's lives. Be sure to discuss the potential risks of drunk driving with your teenagers. This type of discussion doesn't have to be abrasive; think about how it can be approached in a calm and open way. You could make a major difference in keeping your child and their friends safe.
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