Teen Drunk Driving Awareness During Prom and Graduation

By Zane T. Cagle | May 13, 2019 | Car Accidents

We Need Young People to Drive Into the Future-Unimpaired

Spring brings end-of-year success for millions of high school students. It’s a time of celebration through proms, graduations and parties. These are celebrations of a milestone in life and beginning of a new chapter in a young life. We see too many serious injury or fatal teen car crashes during this celebratory time. Often, alcohol is a reason for these crashes. Tragically, these very celebrations can be catastrophic if teens ride with impaired drivers or drive under the influence.

According to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers found that within the last year, one in three recent high school graduates have ridden in a car with an impaired driver. Since teens are not considered “experienced drivers” and more prone to car collisions, the addition of impaired driving can have fatal results. While many safety organizations do continuous safety messages and schools even recreate car crashes at assemblies to advance safety, these crashes continue.

If you are the parent of a teen, you are frequently worrying about your teen driving or who they hitch a ride home. According to researchers, peer pressure or the embarrassment factor still contributes to teens climbing into a car with an impaired driver. Teens don’t want to look like they are “uncool” for being the stiff not willing to get into a car with another teen or young adult who has possibly had a drink or two. However, these decisions continue to be the cause of countless deaths and serious injuries that occur every year.

As parents, we cannot emphasis to our kids how important it is to make smart decisions when it comes to riding with peers or refraining from driving under the influence.

We are not in any way promoting underage drinking. At the same time, immediate perspective of a teenager is critical. If covering the secret of having a couple of drinks results in a crash, then was the drinking secret really worth protecting? The very nature of being a teen is not always thinking through these in-the-moment decisions. Frequent reminders and a plan with your teen may help avoid these type of tragic crashes.

Risks to Teen Drivers

While driving under the influence or riding with an impaired driver is extremely dangerous, it is only one of the many risks to teen drivers. Clearly these tragic fatal scenarios are the most daunting. Speeding and failure to wear seat belts are frequently the two biggest contributors to teen fatal car crashes.

Teen drunk driving crashes can be fare more complex than any other types of crashes. It is such a devastating event in the lives of the families that many overlook the importance of looking at all participants in the crash and all possible liable parties. Monitoring investigations and negotiating with insurance carriers on your own are specifically complex and can be quite awkward as an individual. Attempting to communicate with any other parents or teens during this time is complex as a victim or a victim’s family member.

Whether it has been a loss of an immediate family member or the loss of a friend, most of us know the tragedy of it all too well. It is especially tragic since it’s 100% avoidable.

100 Deadliest Days

According to a 2016 study, the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers is the time from Memorial Day weekend to around the beginning of September or Labor Day. The spike in crashes during that time are attributed to increase of unsupervised time–time not in school and increased time on the roadways. Too often teens engage in risky driving behavior such as speeding and distracted driving. Nearly 50% of the fatal teen crashes in 2014 occurred between the hours of 3 p.m. and midnight. Contributing factors to those crashes include rush hour, impaired drivers, fatigue, difficulty seeing at night and overall inadequate light.

The increase in teen crashes during the spring and summer months is a combination of their inexperience and bad driving choices such as speeding, driving impaired and distracted driving.

Hiring an Attorney

Hiring an attorney to look into the liability issues on your behalf is always the best way to investigate your potential claim. An expert car crash attorney will get the police report and accident reconstruction information if applicable, and help determine liable parties on your behalf. If it turns out that you do not have a claim, then an attorney can advise you and certainly, we can advise you of steps to protect yourself.

We are available seven days a week for free consultation as crashes do not just occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Usually, you have questions immediately and the greatest number of crashes due occur between the hours of 5 p.m. and early morning hours.

Call us toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314.276.1681

About The Author

Zane T. Cagle

Zane T. Cagle is the founding president and lead trial attorney at The Cagle Law Firm. With a strong dedication to his clients, he has built a reputation for his tenacious representation in personal injury cases, ensuring each client's unique story is heard. Areas of Practice: Personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death. Bar Admissions: Supreme Court of Missouri, Illinois & Kentucky. Superior Court of U.S. Virgin Islands Education: Washington University School of Law. Awards: Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers Association, 10 Best in Missouri for Customer Satisfaction.

View all posts by Zane T. Cagle →