The California Highway Patrol will close Despina Avenue, in front of Ukiah High School, for several hours tomorrow morning, starting around 9:00am, to stage a drunk driving accident.
“Every 15 Minutes” is a CHP program designed to discourage drunk driving. It includes a staged accident and a mock funeral. The CHP will bring this program to Ukiah High School starting on Thursday, April 6. Here’s a press release from the CHP, with details about what to expect:
UKIAH 4/5/2017 — On Thursday, April 6th, 2017, The California Highway Patrol, in conjunction with Ukiah High School, will be conducting a simulated drunk driving traffic collision as part of the Every 15 Minutes program. The collision will be staged on Despina Ave, in front of Ukiah High School and will begin at approximately 9:00 a.m. The mock collision will take place for about 1 hour, however the roadway will be closed for several hours to allow for scene set up and break down. During the mock collision there will be a high concentration of emergency vehicles in the area. We would like to ensure that the public is aware this is a mock emergency incident and that no real emergency actually exists.
Every 15 Minutes is a two-day program which demonstrates to high school students the impact drinking and driving has on friends, families, and their 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 a fatally injured victim. The event includes emergency responses from police, fire, ambulance, and coroner just as the actual collision would require. The program will conclude with a mock funeral and assembly for students on April 7th, 2017.
This event is conducted by the California Highway Patrol, with the support from the South Ukiah Rotary, Ukiah Valley Fire Authority, Mendocino County Sheriffs, Ukiah Police Department, Medstar Ambulance, Eversole Mortuary, Slam Dunks Pizza, Ukiah Auto Dismantlers, and many other community partners and affiliates.
All media inquiries should be forwarded to Officer Kylar Adams at the Ukiah Area office of the California Highway Patrol.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additional funding was generously donated by community members and businesses.
The Mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security to the people of California.
