A graphic and realistic portrayal of an alcohol-related traffic fatality was enacted at on Wednesday. The school, in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety, presented Every 15 Minutes, an emotionally charged program designed to dramatically instill teenagers with the potentially dangerous consequences of drinking alcohol.
The program title comes from the sobering statistic that every 15 minutes, someone in the United States dies from an alcohol-related traffic collision, said event co-chair and Parent Faculty Club co-president Ziona Friedlander.
As part of a two-day presentation, a very realistic traffic accident scene is re-created, complete with ambulances, fire trucks, law enforcement and the coroner.
The program concludes on Thursday with a mock memorial service for the students and teacher "killed" in the simulation.
"The goal is to make an impression upon the juniors and seniors at Agoura High," said event co-chair Gail Fridstein. The message is simple: The choices you make today can have a lasting effect upon tomorrow, she said.
