Teens: Safe Riding, Safe Driving

by SAMHSA

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of youth ages 15 to 20.

If you're the parent of a teen, it's likely that drunk and drugged driving is at the top of your list of concerns for your child. Many teens know someone who has been involved in or affected by a car crash with an impaired driver - a driver who had been drinking alcohol or using another drug that lowers the ability to drive safely. Sadly, some of those drivers are young people.

The Good News

During the past 20 years, educational efforts, policy change, and new laws have helped reduce the number of youth alcohol-related deaths. The number of young people who died in a crash involving a young driver with a blood alcohol content at or above .10 has declined by more than 60 percent since 1982 - from 2,763 to 1,076 deaths.

However, this news doesn't mean that the work is done - just ask a parent who lost his teen to a car crash.

Reducing alcohol-related traffic deaths is one of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top concerns. The national goal is to lower the death toll for all ages to no more than 11,000 annually by the year 2005. This number may seem high, but not when you compare it to the 16,000 people who were killed in 2000 as a result of alcohol-related crashes.

What To Do

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, a time when communities across the country join with the National 3D Prevention Month Coalition to conduct campaigns to prevent driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The tips below can help you stop impaired driving in your neighborhood and keep your child safe.

Tell your child that you do not want her getting into a car with someone who has had even one drink or who has been using illegal drugs. Marijuana and other illegal drugs can impair driving ability. (Keep in mind that even some over-the-counter drugs and other medications can impair driving ability as well.)

Help young people plan substance-free events. Visit "Have a Safe and Sober Holiday" for details.

If you host parties for young people, do not allow them to drink alcohol or use drugs. Do not serve alcohol, even to college students. Check on your young guests often to make sure that no one is sneaking alcohol or other illegal substances into your home. The legal consequences of allowing underage drinking and drug use in your home can be harsh, especially if a minor is injured or killed during the party or after leaving your house. Visit "Prosecuting Parents for Underage Drinking" for more information.

If one doesn't exist, begin a coalition to address underage drinking and impaired driving in your community. Write to your local paper and legislators to gain support.

Be a good role model. If you have been drinking, don't drive. We all know that young people learn by example - don't send mixed messages.

Above all, tell your child that you want him to call you if he can't get a safe ride home from a party or other event. Stress to him that you want him to call even if he has been drinking or using drugs. Assure him that, while you do not support this behavior, his safety is your first concern. Wait a day or so, and then talk with him about what happened and what you expect from him in the future. Setting rules about safe riding and driving, especially when alcohol and drugs are involved, will help you make the roads safer for everyone.

About the Author

www.samhsa.gov
SAMHSA works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and mental health services. Includes links to support groups, information resources, events and articles.