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Studies indicate that underage drinking often begins during adolescence, driving home the point that it is never too early to encourage your teens to make wise choices regarding drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, and drinking and driving. Who talks to an eighth-grader about drinking and driving? Ideally, their parents.
What if your child drives home intoxicated? Will they know what to do? What if their friend has a driver’s license and they have been drinking?
These are all real-life scenarios that parents can discuss with their children before they happen. The California Highway Patrol’s RIGHT TURN Middle School Program offers tips for parents, including strategies for alcohol use prevention, guidance on having discussions with your teen, and ideas to empower them to say “no.”
The Risks Of Young Teens And Alcohol
When it comes to underage drinking, the statistics are startling. The number of alcohol-related traffic accidents involving teens is high, as is the number of teens engaged in drownings and violent incidents where alcohol played a role. Being proactive can save your teen’s life or the life of someone they know.
Consider These Statistics
- Teens who drink alcohol are more likely to become sexually active sooner in life, to have sexual intercourse more frequently, and to have unprotected sex more than teens who elect not to drink.
- Young people who drink are at a higher risk than those who do not of being victims of violent crime, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.
- Problems with schoolwork and school conduct are more rampant among teens who drink.
- According to 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 30% of young drivers aged 15-20 killed in crashes had measurable blood alcohol levels, highlighting the serious risks of underage drinking and driving.
- Research consistently shows that male drivers are more likely to be involved in drunk driving crashes, with NHTSA data indicating that young males have a higher risk of crashing.
- An individual who begins drinking alcohol in their younger teen years has quadruple the chances of alcohol dependence than someone who waits until adulthood to consume alcohol.
Ten Parental Strategies For Prevention
Here are some strategies you can use to reduce your teen’s risk of engaging in underage drinking.
- Adopt family rules regarding drinking. When parents enact rules and expectations surrounding alcohol use, their children may be less likely to begin drinking. For example, kids might not stay at parties thrown by their peers where alcohol is being served, and they may be less likely to ride in a car with an intoxicated driver.
- Keep tabs on the alcohol in your home. Be aware of how much you have and if some suddenly disappears or seems less than usual.
- Get to know other parents, especially parents of the kids your children are friends with. Doing so can help you keep closer tabs on your children.
- Be the example. Use alcohol in moderation, never drink and drive, do not use alcohol to handle your problems, never ride in a vehicle with another driver who has been drinking, and refrain from telling stories about your own drinking that may lead them to see alcohol use as glamorous or funny.
- Do not support teen drinking in any way, such as allowing teens to drink in your home or buying alcohol for them.
- Encourage your child to build healthy relationships. Keep in mind that if their friends use alcohol, they are more likely to drink as well.
- Keep your kids busy. Children who are bored are more likely to experiment with alcohol.
- Check out a safe-ride home program where parents can enroll and prepay for their child’s ride home.
- Keep track of your child’s activities, plans, and whereabouts, no matter their age. This may help prevent them from getting into any harm, such as traffic accidents.
Four Practical Ways Your Child Can Say No To Riding With A Drunk Driver
As your child gets to the age where they are getting rides from other people, you can discuss what they should do if they believe that a person who is going to give them a ride is drunk.
- Call a parent or another trusted adult for a ride and then say, “No thanks, I have another ride.”
- I think I’m going to spend the night (then call a parent and tell them about the situation).
- I think I’m going to walk (ONLY if they are in an area where they usually walk and are familiar with, it is during daylight, AND they have a buddy with them).
- Simply say there’s no way the child is riding with them.
These reminders can help lower the risk of your child getting into drunk driving accidents. Nevertheless, if you or your child got injured in one, consider consulting an injury lawyer who handles drunk driving accident cases to understand your rights and legal options.
Injured By A Drunk Teen Driver? Call A California Car Accident Lawyer
Teen drivers can be unpredictable, and those who have been drinking may pose an even graver problem. Consider discouraging these behaviors from a young age. If you were injured by a drunk teen driver on California’s roads, you may have the option to seek damages by filing a car accident claim.
Our dedicated injury attorneys have decades of collective experience serving injured accident victims across California, particularly in areas such as San Francisco, Riverside, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, and Sherman Oaks. Contact Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 or online to set up your free initial case evaluation with experienced California car accident lawyers from our firm.
