For the first time, students at Orcutt Academy High School are experiencing the Every 15 Minutes program.
On Thursday, a mock two-vehicle drunk driving crash was staged outside the school. Students witnessed the “DUI driver” get arrested and two other “victims” with injuries get taken to the hospital. A fourth person played the role of a deceased passenger.
The program will continue on Friday with a mock funeral for the crash “victim.” Students will also hear from a guest speaker, Demi Hernandez of Santa Maria, who lost her mother to a drunk driver.
Organizers say the goal of the program, aimed at high school juniors and seniors, is to challenge them to think about drinking and driving, personal safety, making mature decisions, and the impact their decisions have on their family and friends.