LIFE IS TOO IMPORTANT—Oak Park High School students and parents are educated on the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving, and driving while distracted. Above, a “reality party” gives parents an idea of what goes on sometimes at teen parties. STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn Newspapers A mangled car that was destroyed in a drunk driving collision sat on the lawn of Oak Park High School for a week amid 1,000 death masks planted around the campus as reminders that drinking alcohol while driving is often a fatal decision for teens and young adults.

In addition to the graphic scenes on campus, students watched “Life is Too Important,” a 20-minute film created in 2006 by Oak Park students. The film documents the death of Oak Park graduate Chris Ruhle, whose life ended 15 years ago when he was struck in his car by a drunk driver.

Ruhle was a senior at the University of Arizona and engaged to be married to Amy Hendricks when he was killed in February 1996 in San Luis Obispo. A passenger in his car was also killed. Hendricks and another passenger survived, as did the drunk driver.

Chris’s father, Roger Ruhle, was featured in the film along with Hendricks and other friends and family members. Ruhle attended this year’s “Life is Too Important” event.

“It was the worst nightmare any parent can have,” Ruhle told the students. “I hope it never happens to any of you. If you drink, think about making the right choice— call a parent, call a taxi, wear your seat belt.”

Ruhle also cautioned students about staying out too late. After midnight, drunk driving incidents escalate substantially, he said.

In the film Ruhle speaks about the driver who killed his son and another passenger. He said the man had lost his license the day before the accident for a previous DUI conviction. The drunk driver hit Chris Ruhle’s car while driving on the wrong side of the road at 95 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone.

To showcase the dangers of teen drinking, a “reality party” was presented by the group Straight Up, a Ventura County youth development program.

Actors portrayed teenagers at a party, including girls passing out from drunkenness.

The group discussed how easy it is for girls to be raped when they are drunk, and an adult predator in one scene was depicted picking up an intoxicated girl at the party.

Typical drinking games were showcased, including beer pong, wherein players throw a ping pong ball across a table in an attempt to land the ball in a cup of beer. If the ball lands in a cup, the participant must drink the contents.

Teens were also shown drinking from beer bongs, which allow alcohol to be consumed quickly through a tube.

“Parties are out of control,” said one of the Straight Up organizers. “Parents need to get a clue.”

Though drunk driving incidents have decreased for teens, car fatalities continue to rise, primarily because teens and young adults are distracted when driving, by text messaging, talking on their cellphones or other distractions, said Capt. Randy Pentis of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. He said most teens are “one choice away” from a disaster related to drinking or texting while driving.

Pentis said prescriptions drugs are a problem in Oak Park and urged parents to count their medications, especially pain killers. Combining alcohol with medications is a deadly combination for teens.

“Weed is easier to get than anything,” Pentis said, referencing the prevalence of teens who have medical marijuana cards that allow them to buy the drug legally.

He also warned parents not to allow their children to have drinking parties at home under the misconception that the teens’ behavior could be more easily controlled with adults in the house.

“It’s about choices,” Pentis said. “It’s great to start a conversation with kids.”

Oak Park High School Principal Kevin Buchanan said that even if the penal code for marijuana has become more lax, the education code still allows students to be expelled for a second offense.

Oak Park students and their parents were asked to sign pledges to avoid destructive behavior related to alcohol, drugs, peer pressure and overall poor behavior.

Hannah Rinkov, a 10th-grader, signed the pledge. She said the party portrayal was realistic.

Emily Chane, a freshman at the school, said she liked the video and that getting killed or harmed is a real possibility.

Nicholas Bagamian, an Oak Park sophomore, also signed the pledge. “I thought the video was very personal,” he said. “It is really scary to think about what can happen. I hope it never happens to me.”

Nicholas said the party scenes were “pretty realistic.”

“I imagine some of my friends are doing that,” he said.