Police and PTA Remind Teens to be Safe During
Prom and Graduation Season
The police department has partnered with the Howard County Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Council to remind students and parents of the legal and safety consequences of underage drinking, particularly during prom and graduation season. This time of year, the Howard County Police Department often sees tragedies affecting young people, particularly in vehicle crashes. Too often, these collisions and other dangerous activities involve the use of alcohol.
Each year, Howard County
loses more people in fatal vehicle collisions than homicides. Many
people killed in those collisions are between the ages of 16 and 20,
which is the group at the highest risk for a fatal crash. Sadly,
alcohol can play a role in these serious crashes.
Teens
should know that buying alcohol under the age of 21 can result in
multiple criminal charges, including alcohol possession,
misrepresentation of age to obtain alcohol and possession of a fake ID.
Each charge carries a $500 fine and violators must appear in court.
Consuming alcohol while driving and driving under the influence each
carry fines of $500 and, for a DUI conviction, the loss of license for
60 days or more. Young people driving with provisional licenses must be
conviction-free for 18 months before they are eligible to obtain a
driver’s license.
Parents and other adults can play a role
to ensure teens’ safety during this time of celebration. Adults should
be aware that they can be charged criminally with obtaining or
furnishing alcohol for anyone under the age of 21. These charges each
carry a fine of $500 and violators must appear in court.
In
addition, the police department is sending letters to hotels and motels
in Howard County asking them to strictly enforce their policies of not
renting rooms to anyone under 21 years of age. The department and the
PTA are asking hotel employees to call police if parents or other
adults try to rent rooms for minors.
In 2001, a gathering
of Howard County teens at a hotel resulted in the unnecessary death of
a student and the serious injury of another. This mix of an
unsupervised location, the presence of alcohol and other factors
resulted in a horrible tragedy.
Fortunately, all twelve
Howard County high school PTAs will host safe celebrations on prom
nights as part of their yearlong efforts to promote teen safety in the
community. PTA Council's “Project Safe and After Prom” addresses safety
issues among high school students related to alcohol and drug abuse as
well as other risky behaviors.
PTA After Prom events
provide safe alternatives to the private teen parties where alcohol and
drugs are used, and peer pressure to engage in thrill-seeking behavior
is high. Statistics indicate a strong correlation between alcohol and
automobile accidents, violence, sexual assault, and unprotected sex.
The goal of PTA After Prom celebrations is to promote a safe option for
Howard County teens on a high risk night. These celebrations, which
include food, music, fun activities and door prizes, are succeeding
because of the commitment of the parents planning the celebrations, the
backing of the school system, and the support of the community. Last
year, more than 4,500 Howard County teens attended PTA After Prom
events.
Throughout this school year, PTAs have shared
prevention information, provided by HC DrugFree, the Howard County
Health Department, and federal government agencies with parents and
teens on topics such as safe teen parties, and the hazards and legal
consequences of underage drinking and drug abuse.
As the
end of the school year approaches, police will increase traffic
enforcement on roadways around high schools in the county, particularly
during arrival and departure times. The police department hopes the
police presence will reduce speeding and aggressive driving, and
increase seatbelt use among student drivers.
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