'ASPHALT' IS WHERE DRIVERS LEARN ROAD CHP'S NEW AWARENESS COURSES FEATURE CLASSIC FILM.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Parents and teens applying for their first drivers' license are invited to a free screening of a true-life horror movie, courtesy of the California Highway Patrol.

The blood is genuine. The only actor is a young man in scrubs who walks through the morgue and tells viewers that what they are about to see is the real thing.

The fourth sequel to the classic driver's education movie "Red Asphalt" is just part of Smart Start, a new program sponsored by the California Office of Traffic Safety in response to the alarming rate of traffic deaths among younger drivers.

Along with the film, various driver behavior scenarios are presented, some with actual footage of drunk drivers behind the wheel or pranks that end with tragic consequences.

And plenty of time for questions and answers.

"It's a two-hour course for both the new drivers and their parents or guardians," said CHP spokeswoman Wendy Hahn. "Some of the stupid moves people have done in the past are illustrated and we have a chance to stop and discuss these incidents with them."

"Reckless driving is the number one cause of death among young drivers," she continued. "Sixty-six percent of all fatalities involve teens, even though they only make up 4 percent of drivers. And 65 percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving."

The program debuts just months after restrictions on provisional licenses were tightened so that young drivers must have their licenses at least a year before they can have minors as passengers, as opposed to six months. That was coincidental, she said.

Although the presentation is aimed at young drivers, there are lessons drivers of every age can take away. The film includes interviews with law enforcement officers who explain that there are actually three collisions in every "accident" - the vehicle collision, the human collision when a person's body strikes the inside of the car and the internal collision when organs are shaken up violently.

"That's the collision that actually kills you," one officer says solemnly.

Parents of crash victims speak candidly about their children's mistakes, some very matter-of-factly, and some heart-wrenchingly emotional.

But it's all real.

"It takes an average of 303 feet - the length of a football field - to stop a car," Hahn said. "That includes the time it takes to perceive, then put on the brakes, then actually stop."

Parents are also reminded of their responsibilities, which include increased insurance premiums and juvenile court appearances - all seemingly minor in light of the possibility of a fatal crash.

"It's aimed at making everybody think," Hahn said.

Two of the concepts introduced in the program are commentary driving and maintaining a visual horizon.

"Commentary driving is something parents should do with their kids on a regular basis," she said. "Basically you're driving and talking about what you're doing to the person in the passenger seat."

Hahn said the concept of a visual horizon is being aware of what's ahead of you so that you can spot and handle dangerous situations if they come up.

"Unfortunately, most drivers don't look far enough ahead to do this," she added.

The first session of Smart Start was held with a small group Friday night. The next class is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 21 and will be held at the CHP headquarters at 28648 The Old Road. Classes will be held twice a month and will be free; parents need only call to put themselves on a reservations list.

Fliers will be available at the Department of Motor Vehicles and through drivers' education classes at the local high schools. Information on the program can be obtained by calling the CHP at [phone].