Mercury Insurance Helps Police Teach Teens about Drinking and Driving

Mercury Insurance Group and the San Diego Police Department have produced “Every 15 Minutes,” a two-day program to teach high schoolers the dangers of drinking and driving.

The goal of both Mercury Insurance and the San Diego Police Department is to save lives. According to historical data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight teens is likely to drive after drinking alcohol this holiday season, and 30 percent of American teens in December will ride with a driver who has been drinking alcohol. Additionally, statistics show that in 2003, 27 percent of 16- to 20-year-old passenger vehicle drivers fatally injured in crashes had blood alcohol levels of 0.08 percent or more, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. December is designated “National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month” by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Every 15 Minutes” dramatizes realistic consequences of drinking and driving. The story portrays the events surrounding the death of a teen that was killed by a teenage drunk driver. Acted out by students, teachers, parents, police officers, emergency response personnel and coroners, the program features a hyper realistic re-creation of the accident, as well as the events following the accident.

Mercury’s contribution helped meet the costs of staging the event, including event programs, T-shirts, meals, video tapes and makeup for the accident victims.