On Tuesday, April 08, 2008, the Mendocino County Workforce Investment Board's Youth Council in collaboration with Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Branch, Division of Alcohol and Other Drugs, Youth Services, held a daylong event at Todd Grove Park in Ukiah for 40 high school youth.

"Reality Check" offered students the opportunity to participate in an exercise that was designed to demonstrate the experience and potential consequences of drinking and driving. Students attempted to navigate an obstacle course while driving a golf cart, while wearing .fatal vision' goggles. A CHP officer was in the passenger seat at all times. The driving exercise was followed by the CHP administering a field sobriety test (FST).

"Reality Check" also included presentations from Judge LaCasse, Deputy District Attorney Matt Hubley and Probation Hearing Officer Laura Levin. Martin Martinez who was affected by an impaired driver also spoke.

Youth summit participants entered a contest and created a Blog, Poem or Poster that is being used to educate their peers about what they learned from driving impaired.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information:
| www.ots.ca.gov | www.chp.ca.gov | www.nhtsa.gov |
| www.madd.org | www.b4udrink.org | http://www.friendsdrivesober.org |

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