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A Prom Night Plan
Avoiding the Perils of Drunk Driving
By Julia Rosien
Alcohol-related crashes kill more people ages 16 to 20 than any other age group. Nearly half of all fatal car accidents involve alcohol, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). When prom season rolls around, parents and school officials look for ways to drive home the idea that alcohol and cars don't mix.
Teenagers, parents and teachers know the enemy. Whether they call it "Prom Safe Ride Home," "Prom Promise" or "Lock-In," it all adds up to the same thing: banding together to eliminate drunk driving. And the numbers show that it may be working. The NHTSA says that fatalities are dropping slowly – but they still have a long way to fall.
What's turning the tide?
At Lake Washington High School in Seattle, Wash., parents and community volunteers meet at Overlake Hospital and wait for the calls to come in on prom night. Calling before 2 a.m. ensures a safe, free, non-judgmental ride home for teenagers in at-risk situations. This program is so successful for the community that organizers now provide it for all major school functions.
Not every kid reaches for the phone when a friend has the keys and is too intoxicated to drive. Groups like M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving) go to schools to teach kids how to stay out of situations over which they have no control. Members give kids information and support to make the right choices when it comes to drinking and driving.
By far the most popular program across the country is the post-prom party that lasts all night. At North Little Rock High School (NLRHS) in North Little Rock, Ark., students pay $5 each for the post-prom party, which includes a T-shirt, all the food and drinks (non-alcoholic) they want and "play" money to buy prizes until dawn.
