Memorial Day Kicks Off “100 Deadliest Days” For Teens

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For many Memorial Day is a time to remember the men and women who died while serving the United States but it holds another date of importance as well. Memorial Day is the first day in what AAA has deemed “100 Deadliest Days” for teens. Spanning from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the days earned their nickname by having an increase of 15% in deadly teen driving crashes according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. They also say that 9 out of the 10 deadliest days for youth on U.S. Highways occur between May and August. The reasons range from not having as much driving experience, to “distracted” driving like texting, or driving while intoxicated. During the summer months when their parents are still working teens tend to have more freedom which increases the likelihood that they will start drinking. According to the 2016 Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment, 18.6% of Cotton County 12th graders said that they themselves had driven after drinking in the past 30 days, a number that is twice the state average. When asked if they had ridden in a car with someone after the driver had been drinking, the number rose to 20.9%. Wichita Mountains Prevention Network is calling on parents to do their part to make sure their teens are safe this summer.

Below are 4 ways Stanford Children’s Health suggests you can prevent your teen from drinking and driving, not only in these most deadly 100 days but beyond:

Set rules and explain the consequences of breaking them. You may be thinking your teen knows how you feel about drinking and driving but it needs to be clear cut. You may even consider having a parent-teen agreement outlining your rules. You can find a sample agreement at MADD.org.

Equip teens to handle peer pressure. Talk to your teens about scenarios they may encounter when they are drunk. Remind them that they can always call you for a ride if they end up in a situation they don’t want to be in.

Practice what you preach. Set a good example of being a responsible adult and do not drink and drive. Don’t drink excessively, and discourage drunkenness by adult guests. Avoid making jokes about drinking, too—this will dispel the notion that alcohol use is funny, or glamorous. Refrain from implying that alcohol is a good way to solve problems—avoid making comments like “It’s been a tough day—I need a drink.”

Get to know their friends. Not only should you know the crowd that your teen is hanging out with, you should also know their parents. Make it clear that you do not want your child drinking underage and that you do not tolerate “social hosting”.

Wichita Mountains Prevention Network is dedicated to creating a healthy community and healthy youth by preventing underage drinking, and drinking and driving. For more information on how you can prevent underage drinking or get involved with their efforts visit wmpn.org or contact Jillian Latimer at 580-355-5246 ext. 103 or by email at jlatimer@wmp.org