By Cleo Lowring, Guest Column
It’s that exciting time again.
It is a time for reflection and celebration and a time to revel in the accomplishments and growth over the years. It’s time for another senior class to graduate high school and move on with their lives.
It’s a momentous occasion that is traditionally highlighted by prom and graduation parties.
However, for some individuals and their families and friends, the memories made will not be full of happiness and joy, but of sadness and loss.
Recent studies reveal that almost half of teen traffic fatalities during prom and graduation season were alcohol related. Parents and kids often feel that celebrating with alcohol, especially at this time, is a rite of passage. However, fatal car crashes, injuries and assaults are not a teen’s rite of passage.
According to a certified parenting educator and trainer for the Institute for Professional and Educational Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other professional resources:
• Underage drinking is a major factor in the two leading causes of teenage deaths: car crashes and fatal injuries.
• Underage drinking is linked to two-thirds of sexual assaults and rapes of teens, and increases the likelihood of unsafe and unplanned sexual activity.
• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 39 percent of high school senior males say it’s acceptable to force sex with a girl who is intoxicated or high on drugs.
• Many students who normally choose not to drink or engage in sexual behavior are tempted and under enormous peer pressure to be part of what is happening at prom and graduation celebrations.
Contrary to popular opinion, parents have been found to be the number one influence in their teen’s lives.
So, what can parents do to keep their kids safe especially during this risky time?
• Communicate: talk to your teen. Discuss your concerns for both underage drinking and drinking and driving; discuss both the dangers and legalities.
• Know your teen’s plans for pre and post parties and make sure there is a clear way for you to check in to know where they are and who they are with. Develop a safety plan for them to get out of uncomfortable or risky situations.
• Do not become the point of access for your teens alcohol use. Keep track of what and how much alcohol you have in the house.
• Discuss peer pressure and influence: Kids often think they are not vulnerable to such pressure, but everyone is in certain circumstances, and alcohol makes one more susceptible.
• Host a prom or graduation party without alcohol. You have much more control of the situation and what’s going on. Providing alcohol can certainly lead to liability for parents and it’s not necessarily safer if they use it under your roof; driving is not the only issue as stated earlier. Teens that drink are more likely to get into fights, make impulsive decisions, be involved in sexual assaults or get into accidents not even related to driving.
• Consider and discuss the future with your teen. Events or poor decisions now can have major impact on what happens in college or at work post graduation. Discuss the internet and remind your teen that photos posted could be seen by those unintended to view them and can have a negative effect on their plans.
• If your teen comes home and is under the influence, consider consulting with or going to the emergency room to make sure they do not have alcohol poisoning. It is safer to err on the side of caution, even if it is a hassle.
• Check out resources related to these topics online such as: http://www.theantidrug.com/, http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/, http://www.nida.nih.gov/parent-teacher.html, http://www.drugfree.org/.
• Contact the Student Assistance Counselor or school counselor at your teen’s school if you need advice, information or are concerned about your teen and their substance use.
Hopefully, by using these parental tips, prom and graduation season can remain a wonderful and momentous time for all and the memories that follow will be ones that provide joy and laughter for years to come.
[Ms. Lowinger is a member of the South Brunswick group SUDZ (Stop Underage Drinking Zone) a community initiative to prevent underage drinking and The South Brunswick Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse.]

