Students Rally Against Drunk Driving

An emotional assembly at Idaho Falls High School left students thinking twice about drinking and driving. “Every 15 Minutes” is a widely accepted method of exposing high school students across the nation to the real life loss, grieving and consequences of drunk driving.

“It is an issue … it’s not loudly addressed at our school and that’s one of the reasons why we felt it was so important to have this assembly,” said Hailey Weatherby, a senior at IFHS.

There are certainly serious consequences for getting behind the wheel while intoxicated and the statistics on teen drunk driving are enough alone to scare you. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 28 percent of teens between the ages of 15 to 20 killed in accidents had been drinking.

“My belief is the best thing we can do is offer up choices, educate them on the consequences and turn that choice over to them,” said Jason Barber, a drunk-driving prevention speaker.

Student organizers of the assembly say they hope their fellow classmates take away the valuable message of choosing not to drink and drive.

“It’s important to remind the community about how one simple decision — to even just have one drink– can impact so many people’s lives,” said Jesse Caudle, a senior at IFHS.

Teenage drunk driving kills eight teens every day.