The Prom!

Imagine prom night. Everyone is dressed to the max; there is great music in the air and the feeling of putting on that corsage on your date’s arm. It has all the makings for a great and memorable evening. Something everyone is bound to remember for years and years to come. Everybody is ready to celebrate! While everyone is making plans for the night, parents and prom-goers should make up back-up plans too.


Parents: Be Proactive

Prom season is fast-approaching and many parents are busy helping their teens gear up for one of the most exciting time in their teen's life. Often overlooked is the need for these preparations to include frank, specific, and honest discussions with teens about how to avoid alcohol or drugs and stay safe on prom night.

• Encourage your teen to get a limo. This will reduce the chances of a teen driving drowsy and/or driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or over-the-counter medication. The fewer teens actually drive on prom night, the safer they will be. Having a professional take over the task? Better.


• Talk about the risks and consequences of sex, drug and alcohol use. If you already have, why not another one? Studies show that it is important to talk about it often. It is important for parents to inform their teens about the possible regret of partaking in these activities. It is also important to help them understand the school's policy on alcohol and drug association and use.


• Contact the parents of your teen's date. Make sure that they are comfortable with the planned arrangements for the night. Make plans to meet each other to take pictures of the couple or group. Discuss after-prom plans and make sure all parties involved are okay with it. (Avoid sleepovers or hotel room rentals.)


• Communicate with the other parents of your teen's friends. Discuss the plans for the night, the hot spots and the need for locking up and inventorying all alcohol and prescription medication in advance. It reduces the chance of theft and takes the pressure off your teen from their friends. If a parent is hosting an after-prom party, parents have the right and responsibility to ask if they allow underage drinking. Underage drinking is illegal in any state. Another alternative is hosting an after-prom get-together or late night breakfast for your teen and their friends.
  
• Have an escape plan for a bad situation. Discuss with your teen that unplanned and unexpected situations where they feel uncomfortable will eventually come up on prom night. Come up with a code word or text message they can send to alert you to help them get out of the scene. Make sure that you reinforce with them that it is alright to call in at any time for advice or permission, and that you will be discrete.


• Set up times that they are to call and check in. These times could be when the prom is over, when arriving at an after-prom destination, or before heading home. Make sure to remind them to keep you notified of any changes in the plan.

Teens: Keep yourself safe and remind your friends to have a safe prom.

First of all, teens must understand that underage drinking is never acceptable. The fact is, during prom season, some parents choose to "look the other way," or say things such as “they’ll only be kids once.” It may be so, but the truth is that underage drinking is very dangerous. Many teens will be driving that night, which makes the combination of alcohol and lack of long-term defensive driving experience even more dangerous and may create consequences that turn a fun, memorable night a tragic one.

• Limit the passengers to one. The risk of teens getting into a crash increases as the number of passengers increase.


• Have the number of trustworthy cabs programmed on your phone. Have emergency cash to pay for these rides.


• Make sure you have plenty of rest the night before. The thought of the prom may get a wee bit exciting, but make sure you have plenty of rest to be energized for it.


• Think through and talk with your friends about pressure situations. Have a plan to handle them ahead of time.


• Consider going for breakfast, bowling or seeing a midnight movie after your prom. These activities are fun, no doubt about it, and none of them involve alcohol or illegal substances.

Post-Prom Plan

Almost as exciting as the prom is the post-prom plan. Kids from school might be throwing a party, or they might plan on hanging out after the prom is done. These are prime chances and opportunities for teens to have exposure and access to alcohol. In the rush of things, teens may feel pressured into trying to "fit in."

• Have your cell phone charged and with you at all times.


• Eat a good breakfast and lunch on the day of the prom, to keep your energy up.


• Never leave a drink unattended or accept a drink from someone else. If you have to leave your drink for even a moment, grab a new one.


• Drive on well-lit roads and make sure that the vehicle is properly maintained. This means making sure there’s enough gas, and that there are tools that are available, should you experience a flat. Take an extra second before moving into intersections. Over 1,000 people are killed each year by red light runners.


• Do not ride with someone who is fatigued or impaired in anyway. Make sure none of your friends do either. And should you encounter one, find out if they have friends or family who can drive home for them, or pick them up.


• Wear your seat belt. 70% of teens killed on prom weekends are not wearing seat belts. (NHTSA, SADD)


• At all times, know where you are, and know where you’re going. Make sure you also account for where your friends are, and that they and your parents know where you are.


• If someone passes out, call 911. The fear of getting into trouble isn’t worth the risk of them dying.


• Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable over any situation on prom night, something might not be right. Leave immediately.


• Drive defensively on the road. Also, ask your passenger to be alert too.

Plan ahead, communicate, make good decisions and have a safe prom night!

Labels: parent responsibility, post-prom plan, prom safety, safe teen drivers, teen safety, underage alcohol use

As the New Year approaches and parties are being planned, hosts should be aware of their liabilities and responsibilities when it comes to serving alcohol.

Every state has some form of a little known law known as the "Social Host Liability Law". Most of these laws are sub-chapters of "Dram Shop" laws. Dram shop laws are those laws that set out the responsibilities and liabilities for businesses such as bars and restaurants that regularly serve alcohol. Social Host laws however refer to the responsibilities and liabilities for a home owner or party host.

In most states the Social Host laws refer primarily to a homeowner who knowingly serves alcohol to a minor. While most responsible adults would never consider serving alcohol to a minor, a surprising number of adults either actively serve alcohol at parties attended by minors or turn a blind eye when their teens are hosting a party where alcohol is served. A recent article in the Brockton, MA Enterprise cited a survey conducted by Hingham High School where students were asked if they had attended parties where parents allowed teens to drink. More than 25 percent of freshmen and juniors at the school answered that they had attended such parties – an increase of 30 percent since 2008. A similar study at seven schools in Concord MA revealed that 27 percent of the students had attended parties where parents allowed teens to drink.

Social Host laws also hold parents criminally responsible even if they were unaware that the teens had sneaked the alcohol in. A Stanford professor who recently hosted a party for his son and friends specifically stated that no alcohol was allowed. Apparently, without the professor's knowledge, some of the teens brought alcohol to the party and police showed up around 11:00 pm to investigate. The professor was charged with 44 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor - one for each teen at the party.

While there are separate laws concerning supplying alcohol to a minor, Social Host laws go further and hold the host both criminally and civilly liable if one of their guests causes injury to a third party. Some Social Host laws also prohibit serving alcohol to someone – teen or adult – who has a known drinking problem. Other states hold the host liable if they provide keys to an intoxicated adult who went on to injure a third party in a collision.

Parents who have the idea that they would rather have their kids drinking “safely” at home rather than out on the street need to remember their responsibility to be “Be A Parent, Not A Pal.” For hosts of adults, they should also be aware of their responsibilities and remember that old adage: "Friends Don"t Let Friends Drive Drunk."

To prevent one of your guests from leaving a party while intoxicated, a host has several options:

• Take the car keys from your guests as they enter and plan on them spending the night.


• Call a cab for your guests.


• Be aware of services provided by cab and towing companies or public transportation agencies that provide free or low cost rides on New Year's Eve.


• Be a really good host, remain sober and be the designated driver for your guests.

For more information on Social Host laws in your state, visit: http://www.socialhostliability.org/

Have a safe and a happy New Year.

Labels: driving under the influence, dui, parent responsibility, social hosting, teens, underage alcohol use

In November, the New York State Senate unanimously passed the Child Passenger Protection Act which outlined stricter penalties for people convicted of drunk driving with a child in the vehicle. New York Governor David Patterson, a strong supporter of the measure, signed the bill on November 18. The Child Passenger Protection Act, more commonly known as Leandra's Law, went into effect on December 18, 2009.

Leandra's Law, which was named for an 11-year-old-girl who died in an accident by a drunk driver last fall, makes driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs a first-time felony offense when a child under the age of 15 is present in the vehicle. Additionally, those who are convicted are required to outfit their vehicles with ignition interlock systems.

The ignition lock is a device that requires the driver to blow into before he or she can start the car. The device has the ability to detect if the driver has consumed alcohol. If the device detects alcohol on the driver's breath it prevents the driver from being able to start the car. This mandatory ignition interlocking system is does not only pertain to driver’s with children under the age of 15 in the vehicle. Under New York state law any person convicted of DUI or DWI is required to out their vehicle with the device.

Driving impaired, or with a BAC above the .08 legal limit, with a child present is now considered a Class E felony for both first-time and repeat offenders. A Class E felony is punishable by 1 to 4 years in a New York state prison and $1,000 - $5,000 in fines, in addition to the mandatory ignition interlock.

Under Leandra’s Law the charges a person faces have increasing penalties in the event of serious injury or death to a child. The penalties are outlined as follows:

Serious Injury

• Class D felony


• 1 – 7 years in prison

Serious Injury & Reckless Driving

• Class C felony


• Maximum 15 years in prison

Death

• Class C felony


• Maximum 15 years in prison

Death & Reckless Driving

• Class B felony


• Maximum 25 years in prison

Read more about New York defensive driving and other drivers safety tips at http://safety.newyorkdefensivedrivingnow.com/.

Labels: alcohol, blood alcohol level, child passenger protection act, child safety, drunk driving, dui, new york driving laws, underage alcohol use, vehicle safety

Don't Depend on Dumb Luck—Designate a Sober Driver Before the Party Begins

March is the month to don some green, pull out the shamrocks, and look for the pot of gold. St. Patrick's Day is approaching, spring is arriving and every one is ready to celebrate and enjoy good cheer. For many St. Patrick's Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large number of drunk drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.


On St. Patrick's Day 2008, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


"Whether you are meeting a few friends at the local pub after work or attending parade, if you plan on using alcohol, never drive while impaired-and never let your friends drive if you think they are impaired".


Additional NHTSA statistics show that in 2008, there were 134 crash fatalities on St. Patrick's Day. Out of that number, 50 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.


For a safe St. Patrick's Day take the following steps:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;


• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home;


• If you're impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;


• Use your community's Sober Rides program


• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don't hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;


• And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

Driving impaired is simply not worth the risk, not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant. Don't depend on dumb luck this St. Patrick's Day. Designate your sober driver before the party begins.


For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.


*- ST. PATRICK'S DAY IS DEFINED AS 6PM MARCH 16 TO 5:59AM MARCH 18

Labels: blood alcohol level, buzzed driving, drunk driving, dui, underage alcohol use, underage drinking

Taxpayers Footing Almost 39% of Total Bill

Recently, the Florida Department of Children and Families released a new study entitled Economic Costs of Underage Drinking in Florida. Amongst its findings are that the statewide economic impact of underage alcohol-related crime, traffic crashes, health care and other costs Floridians over $3 billion each year.

Violent crime linked to alcohol was society’s greatest cost, accounting for $316.3 million, or 48%, of total underage drinking costs.

Taking third place were traffic crashes, with a fiscal tab of $642.7 million for medical and emergency services, lost productivity, workplace and legal costs, property damage and other costs.

Other economic impacts detailed in the county-by-county report included:
• Unsafe sexual behavior - $291.1 million
• Fetal alcohol syndrome - $75.4 million
• Alcohol-related medical and other costs resulting from injuries — $202.5 million
• Suicides and attempted suicides - $48.3 million
• Alcohol abuse treatment - $2.8 million.

Six Florida counties alone were responsible for 52% of the total estimated cost: Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Palm Beach, Hillsborough and Duval. According to the study's authors, the higher costs were associated with higher crime and traffic crash rates in these counties.

The study revealed that most of the economic burden of alcohol abuse falls on those who do not abuse alcohol. Florida taxpayers bore 38.6% of the total costs.

The overall cost per youth was also computed by researchers, which averaged $627 per person under the age of 21 and $1,818 per youth between the ages of 14 and 20. These expenditures were the result of roughly 180 youth deaths and 71,602 injuries and other events directly ascribable to alcohol use by minors.

"This study shows that in addition to the human toll of underage drinking, there is also an economic cost that affects us all," said Bill Janes, DCF Assistant.

"We especially want to involve parents in our prevention efforts, because research shows that parents and other significant adults are the key factors in determining whether or not a teenager decides to drink," Janes continued. "Communities also have a role to play in protecting teens and promoting alcohol and drug-free lifestyles."

According to a 2008 survey of alcohol and drug use by Florida's middle and high school students, most do not drink and the number of those who do is on the decline. However, a cause for concern is that the percentage of those who reported drinking during the past month continues to exceed the national average - 37% compared to 29.3%.

The study provides a "blueprint" for Florida's state and local policy makers. "It has implications for law enforcement and the health care and insurance industries, as well as for health and social services agencies," Janes said.

Economic Costs of Underage Drinking in Florida was a State Epidemiology Workgroup project, a multidisciplinary group comprised of a range of experts from Florida. The study's corresponding author is Michael T. French, Ph.D., of the Treatment and Prevention Evaluation Group at the University of Miami's Comprehensive Drug Research Center. The study's cost estimates are for 2007.

Labels: underage alcohol use, underage drinking