Prom, Prom Party, Prom Parties, After Prom Party

Prom Prep

After Prom Transportation

Drinking and Driving
By: Tom Sosnowski

Despite years of education, public service messages, in-school presentations and efforts from organizations like MADD, prom and graduation season claim too many teenagers each year. And the reason for this phenomenon stretch long: breakup of a relationship, college rejection, depression, binge drinking, and so on, they all play into the mix.

And what really makes this worse regarding proms or after prom parties, the cars involved in alcohol-related accidents are filled with high school revelers, making the tragedy even worse. There is only one true rule to drinking and driving-If you're going to drink after your prom don't drive. Don't help write another tragic prom story.

The following are some statistics provided by AAA regarding drunk driving that should open your eyes as to the danger of alcohol and automobiles:

Misuse of Alcohol
* In numerous studies, at least half of all drivers admit to driving occasionally after drinking alcoholic beverages.
* Possession of alcohol is illegal in all 50 states for anyone under age 21.
* Alcohol is involved in nearly half of all highway deaths.
* About 3 out of every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related collision at some time in their lives.
* In 2001, alcohol-related crashes killed 17,448 people. This figure represents 41 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year.
Compared to sober drivers, for a 150-pound male over 21 years old, the odds of being involved in a crash of any kind are:
* 1-2 drinks: Chances nearly double.
* 3-4 drinks: Chances increase 3-7 times.
* 5-6 drinks: Chances increase 13-20 times.
*
Alcohol's Impact on Behavior

For an average-build 150-pound person:
* One drink in 1 hour*: Inhibitions are lessened. BAC = .02 to .03 percent.
* Two drinks in the same timeframe: Reaction time is slower. BAC = .04 to .05 percent.
* Three drinks: Judgment is not sound. BAC = .06 to .07 percent.
* Four drinks: Hearing, speech, vision and balance are adversely affected. BAC = .08 to .09 percent.
* Five drinks, most behaviors are affected. BAC = .10 to .11 percent.
* 12 drinks, the person would most likely enter a deep sleep or coma. BAC = .30 percent.
* If BAC reaches .50 percent (since the body continues to absorb alcohol even while unconscious), the person will be in a deep coma and near death.

*Drink = standard serving of 12 ounces beer, 5-6 ounces wine or 1.5 ounces liquor.

How to Detect an Impaired Driver
* Driving too slow or too fast for conditions.
* Crossing the center line repeatedly.
* Signaling inconsistent with driving.
* Swerving, weaving or drifting between lanes and the sides of the road.
* Accelerating and braking rapidly.
* Driving with the headlights off at night or failing to dim high beams.
* Making wider turns than necessary.
* Responding slowly to traffic signals (sudden stops, delayed starts).
* Driving into opposing traffic.
* Driving too closely to other vehicles or objects.
* Stopping without cause.
* Turning abruptly or illegally.