PEETZ, Colo. -- "The Grim Reaper," portrayed as a symbol of death, visited Peetz High School recently as part of a program on distracted driving.

The program "Every 15 Minutes" illustrates the dangers of distracted driving. The program was introduced in California in the 1990s, according to teacher Megan Schumacher. The program then moved out to nearly all 50 states.

"The State Patrol came out with it in the 90s I believe originally in California. It was pushed out to almost all 50 states. It talks about distracted driving, drinking and driving, and how every 15 minutes someone passes away in the United States from distracted driving," Schumacher said. 

She first led program in 2016. Since then, she has done the program every four years, allowing nearly every student to experience the message once while in high school.

The program stresses the danger of not paying attention when driving. The program is designed with a person acting as the grim reaper enters the school. Then a student is removed from the classroom, and an official reads an obituary. The real draw is when students see the mock crash, according to Schumacher.

"The kids kind of laugh about that part -- the grim reaper coming into the room -- but then once you do the mock crash that's when it starts to become real to them," she said.

The reality of the lesson continues when a student is removed from the classroom every 14 minutes. Five students are in the mock crash. 

"And that's where you see more emotion about it and they start thinking a lot about what it means to get behind the wheel, and that you are essentially getting into a weapon," she said.