GETTING THE MESSAGE DEATH, SIMULATION SOBERING.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - As students on one side of town Thursday grieved the death of a former Valencia High student in a car crash, Canyon High students watched a simulated collision meant to teach them about the dangers of drunk driving.

The Every 15 Minutes program, which says one person is killed every 15 minutes in alcohol-related crashes in the nation, took place one day after 18-year-old Kiel Kudroff plowed into a light post at McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials are investigating whether alcohol contributed to the crash and are awaiting toxicology reports.

Kudroff is the fourth person between ages 18 and 24 who has died on city streets in a traffic crash in the past six weeks.

Yet, as students watched the bloodied driver of a Ford Probe declared dead Thursday, with his passenger sprawled on the hood of the Oldsmobile that had plowed into it in the mock collision, some remained emotionless.

``I'm not affected by it because I know it's not real. I know they're doing it to show us what could happen if you drive drunk,'' said 16- year-old Marty Hillman. ``This doesn't make me scared. I know I'm not supposed to do it, but it doesn't make me say I'm never going to do it.''

Student Dee Campbell knows she's not supposed to drive under the influence of alcohol and said she didn't appreciate being forced to watch the simulated crash.

``I don't get anything out of it,'' the junior said. ``I think they're really traumatizing the kids and it's not really helping us at all.''

Sheriff's Deputy Mike Shapiro, who is in charge of the program, said it's the most effective tool police have to teach youngsters about the dangers associated with drunk driving.

``There are going to be kids that just won't buy into anything. We have 1,250 juniors and seniors here and we can't get to all of them,'' Shapiro said. ``But, the students are taking it seriously.''

Though the officials acknowledge it would be difficult to gauge the success of the program since they don't know how many students refused to get behind the wheel drunk, statistics show a 63 percent reduction in juvenile drunk driving arrests since 2000 compared with two years before.

``We're trying to get the message to them and a majority are going to get it,'' Shapiro said, adding that today's planned assembly with messages from parents of kids killed in simulated accidents will drive the message home.

For some students, the simulation didn't compare to lessons they've learned from the crashes in which they or friends had been involved.

Last year Kyle Miller, 18, was involved in a car crash after the driver of a car he was riding in fell asleep at the wheel. Miller had been using a wheelchair for five months.

``Pretty much, we've already seen this. It's not a huge deal because we've been through it so many times,'' he said, after counting the number of crashes in which his friends had recently been involved. ``It gave me five months to stay home and think about what happened. I'm still not the perfect driver, but you think first before you do stuff.''

Others walked away with a reminder to drive more carefully.

``Even if you don't drink, it shows us how serious accidents are. As a driver it affects me,'' said senior Talon Potter. ``I don't drink. I never have. But it shows you have to be a safe driver and always be aware.''

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Students wearing makeup to portray death watch a simulated car collision Thursday at Canyon High School.

(2 -- color) A Canyon High student on a gurney is rushed to a waiting helicopter Thursday during a mock car crash, part of the Every 15 Minutes program to raise awareness about drunk driving.

(3) Friends of Kiel Kudroff, 18, gather at a memorial to him erected near the intersection of McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road.

(4) A photograph of Kiel Kudroff, 18, is taped to the signal post at the intersection of McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch road where he was killed early Wednesday morning in a solo car crash.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer