BCHS to again host Every 15 Minutes

While it may not technically be real and just a simulation, don’t tell that to the participants or their loved ones.

Every other year, Boulder City High School participates in a nationwide program called “Every 15 Minutes”. The two-day event, March 13-14, simulates in great detail the impact of drinking and driving, with the focus on students.

The first day of the event brings students out to witness a simulated collision. Local law enforcement and first responders participant in the event with full lights and sirens as they approach the accident. There, they find bodies of actual BCHS students with a variety of injuries and in the end, some don’t make it.

Those students participating are allowed to tell their parents they are doing just that but nothing more, to keep things as realistic, even to the point of a police officer having to tell the parent their child was involved in an accident and didn’t survive or having them officially identify their child’s deceased body at the scene.

“The fact is, a split-second can change lives forever,” said BCFD Acting Chief Greg Chesser. “Many people – especially teens – feel like they are indestructible. Programs like Every 15 Minutes bring it all to reality: teens are immersed in what can happen if they drive while impaired. They have a chance to see what we as first responders see on an accident scene.”

The program, which originated in Canada in 1995, came to the United States the following year. Schools host the event every two years to involve as many students as possible during their four years of high school.

“I’ve responded to far too many deadly accidents, and the ones that bother me most are the ones involving impaired drivers,” said Chesser. “There are so many studies that have been done about how alcohol impairs reflexes and judgement. I’ve never heard a parent get upset if their teen driver calls them at 3 a.m. for a ride. And we have more Lyft and Uber drivers in Boulder City than ever before. There is never a reason for anyone to drive while impaired.”

Day two

One of the second day of the event, students and the parents of those taking part gather for what can be extremely emotional. From out of view of the audience, students start by reading the same line of a letter.

“Dear Mom and Dad, every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol-related traffic collision, and today I died. I never had the chance to tell you…….”

“Many students who experience the Every 15 Minutes program report that it changes their perspective and influences their decisions for years to come,” BCHS Principal Amy Wagner said. “It also helps create a culture of accountability where students feel empowered to prevent drunk driving among peers. Overall, Every 15 Minutes is an unique program that takes DUI education beyond lectures and statistics, creating a real-life emotional connection that can save lives.”

There is a mock trial and the impaired driver of the accident is taken away to “jail.”

“The Every 15 Minutes program is a powerful and emotional impaired-driving awareness initiative primarily targeted at high school students,” BCPD Chief Tim Shea said. “Its importance lies in its ability to provide a realistic and impactful experience that highlights the devastating consequences of driving under the influence or distracted driving.”

Wagner said the program has had a definite impact on the students over the years.

“After the two-day event, I’ve heard students talking about how it made them think differently about the real consequences of drinking and driving,” she said. “Seeing their classmates in that kind of situation—along with hearing from first responders and families—makes it feel real in a way that a lecture never could.

“It’s hard to measure long-term change right away, but when students are having honest conversations about what they saw and how it affected them, you know it’s making a difference. “If this program helps even one student make a safer choice, then its doing its job.”