Simulated DUI Collision To Be Held At East County High School

LA MESA, CA — A simulated drunk driving collision will be conducted at Wednesday at Helix High School in La Mesa as part of the Every 15 Minutes program.

The mock collision will begin at about 11:30 a.m. and will be staged on the road in front of the high school, according to the California Highway Patrol. The mock collision will take place for about one hour. The frontage roadway, however, will be closed for several hours to allow for scene set-up and breakdown.

There will be a high concentration of emergency vehicles in the area during the mock collision, CHP Officer Jared Grieshaber said.

"We would like to ensure that the public is aware this is a mock emergency incident and that no real emergency exists," Grieshaber said.

"Numerous pre-designated students will be pulled from class and at the same time a mock obituary will be read by law enforcement personnel to the class," he added. "These students represent the number of people who will be seriously injured or killed at the hands of a drunk driver while they are in school that day."

Every 15 Minutes is a two-day program that aims to show high school students the impact drinking and driving has on their friends, families and community.

The first day of the program is highlighted by a simulated traffic collision that will be conducted at the high school involving an impaired teenage driver and fatally injured victim. The event includes emergency responses from police, fire, ambulance, medical helicopter, coroner, and tow truck companies, just as an actual collision would require. The program will conclude with a mock funeral and assembly for students on Thursday.

The event is conducted by the CHP, with support from the La Mesa Police Department, Heartland Fire Department, Reach Air Medical Services, San Diego County District Attorney's Office, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Featheringill Mortuary and other community partners and affiliates.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.