Think Before You Drink: The Preventable Perils of Underage Drinking During This Celebratory Season
As we enter the Summer Season, for many high school and college students, this marks a time for celebrations and ceremonies, like prom nights and graduation commencements. This exciting time commemorates the culmination of many years of diligent studying, personal development, and achievement that are meant to be shared with classmates, friends, and family before embarking on life’s next chapter. As District Attorney, I implore every student to participate in all this season’s festivities safely, to create lifelong memories.
As students prepare to celebrate, this season also serves as a reminder that poor decisions can irreparably mar these joyous occasions. Each year, the Rockland community and others throughout the nation experience tragedies related to underage alcohol consumption, which are entirely preventable. What may be considered partaking in benign celebrations, even one drink can result in serious, lifelong consequences, such as accidents or death. These tragic events often occur during what is deemed the “100 Deadliest Days,” from Memorial to Labor Day, because of the significant increase in teen related traffic fatalities. With more drivers on the road traveling to social gatherings and commemorative ceremonies, there are more opportunities for risk from reckless and impaired driving.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), approximately 37 people die every day in the United States from car crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, which amounts to more than 13,000 lives lost each year. Even more alarming, the CDC also reports that one person dies in an alcohol-related crash about every 39 minutes.
For teenagers, the risks are even greater. Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) reports that thousands of young people are killed annually in car crashes, and alcohol continues to play a significant role in many of those tragedies. The CDC estimates that excessive alcohol use contributes to more than 4,000 deaths among people under the age of 21 each year. Those deaths result not only from car crashes, but also from alcohol poisoning, drowning, suicides, homicides, and other avoidable
One South Main Street · Suite 500 · New City, NY 10956 · (845) 638-5001 · Fax (845) 638-5298 · rocklandda.org
incidents. Make no mistake, underage drinking is not a harmless rite of passage, it is illegal, dangerous, often life changing, and students who exercise poor judgment will be held accountable.
Unfortunately, my Office has seen firsthand how a single poor decision of impaired driving can alter the course of multiple lives that extend far beyond the driver. Passengers, pedestrians, families, friends, and entire communities can suffer the devastating effects of a crash for years to come.
Alcohol-related tragedies may be averted with the collaboration of community members. Parents should have open and honest conversations with their children about the dangers of alcohol consumption. Students should make plans before attending celebrations, avoid riding with anyone who has been drinking and never hesitate to call a parent, family member, or trusted adult, if they need a safe ride home. Classmates and friends should look out for one another and speak up when someone is about to make a dangerous decision. No celebration is worth risking a life.
Prom and graduation celebrations should be remembered for the fun, the friendships, and the milestones they represent. As we celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s graduating seniors, I encourage every student, parent, and community member to make safety a priority. By working collectively to make responsible choices, we can ensure that this prom and graduation season is remembered for all the right reasons.
Celebrate responsibly. Don’t drink and drive. Save your friends, save your family, save yourself.
Thomas E. Walsh, II
Rockland County District Attorney