The warm spring weather should be an obvious sign; prom season will soon be here. With that, high school students throughout our region of southern Virginia look forward to their night of glitz, glamour and fun. But just like other events on the high school calendar, prom night has some unique dangers that can turn to tragedy when alcohol is involved.
A Mothers Against Drunk Drivers report states the obvious but it is nonetheless troubling; few teens actually admit to drinking and driving. Only 5.8 percent of 16 and 17 year olds surveyed admitted to being impaired while behind the wheel. For 18 to 20 year olds, the numbers climbed to 15.1 percent. However, the reality is that many more teens drink and drive.
Drinking and driving is inherently dangerous, but since teens tend to engage in risky behaviors (i.e. speeding, texting and driving, succumbing to peer pressure)they are more likely to be involved in accidents. Additionally, a third of all teens killed in auto accidents lost their lives in April, May and June alone; essentially during prom and graduation seasons.
Because of this, it is important to have frank conversations with teens regarding the consequences of drinking and driving, especially considering that most teens believe that nothing tragic will ever happen to them. Moreover, parents of offending teens could be held liable for their children’s mistakes, as many teens are covered under their parents’ insurance policies.
If you have questions about your rights and options after a drunk driving accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can advise you.