Pleasanton Students Take Part In Every 15 Minutes Program

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton high school students are taking part in Every 15 Minutes, a program that uses real-life simulations to educate youth about the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

The two-day program, which is being held Thursday and Friday in Pleasanton, is an elaborate coordination between schools, students, municipal governments, and police and fire departments that has been used across the country for nearly 20 years. It derives its name from the fact that at the time, someone died from an accident every 15 minutes. That number has been reduced to every 45 minutes as of 2023.

The program is notable for staging a fake crash scene that simulates a drunk driving incident. Two students will pretend to die in the simulation, and others will be hospitalized or arrested. After the crash, students from Amador Valley High School and Village High School will attend a retreat in which people share their actual experiences about the harms of driving under the influence.

The program was organized by the Amador Valley High School Every Fifteen Minutes Committee, in partnership with Pleasanton Police Department, Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department, Amador Valley High School, Village High School, along with the Pleasanton Unified School District, Eden Medical Center, California Highway Patrol, City of Pleasanton Streets Department, California Office of Traffic Safety, Wendy Connelly and the Amador Valley Video Production Team, Pleasanton Pioneer Cemetery, and more.

A number of local businesses and individuals contributed financially, including First Street Tow, Graham-Hitch Mortuary, Lori Johnson, PPIE, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Doubletree Hotel, AV PTSA, Inkings, Noah’s Bagels, Togo’s Sandwiches, Sidetrack, Railey’s, Porky’s Pizza, Safeway, Lucky’s, Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee, Grocery Outlet, and Amador Valley staff and parents.

“We want to show highschoolers the consequences that come with drunk driving, and encourage them to make educated, smart decisions while and after drinking,” said Connor Robitaille, a member of the Every Fifteen Minutes Committee. “If there is one lesson that we hope highschoolers learn from this program, it is thinking about the consequences of drunk driving before going out and drinking with friends.”