I ran across an article in the on-line edition of a San Diego paper about a controversial anti-DUI program performed at a San Diego area high school. The program involved visits in May, 2008 by California highway patrol officers to 20 classrooms at the El Camino High School. The officers told students that several of their classmates had been killed in vehicular accidents involving alcohol.

As you might imagine, several of the students became hysterically upset at this news. Several hours later the police officers returned to let the students know that their prior visit was part of a DUI awareness program and that their classmates had not been killed.

The high school guidance counselors and the district school superintendent defended the program as being both necessary and effective. “They were traumatized but we wanted them to be traumatized,” said a school guidance counselor.

What do you think of this tactic? As the parent of two high school students, I see that teenagers sometimes think that they are invincible, and that an emotional shock like the El Camino program might get their attention. On the other hand, I wonder if the police officers may have lost some trust and goodwill in the eyes of the students.

Hopefully, this program will be effective in making student drivers think twice before getting behind the wheel and about keeping diligent in watching for impaired drivers.