Study shows teens are more likely to drink on Prom night

SAN DIEGO COUNTY - A recently released study from Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) reveals that 90 percent of teens admit they are more likely to drink and drive on prom night.

According to a national survey of more than 2,500 11th and 12th graders, 79 percent of teens believe drinking and driving will also occur on graduation night. Even more alarming, the teens don’t seem to be concerned that this behavior could have dangerous consequences. Only 29 and 25 percent of teens say that driving on prom night poses a higher degree of danger.

Although the attitude of ‘it won’t happen to me’ continues to be pervasive among teens, the potential for deadly crashes is very real and more so when alcohol is combined with texting or talking on the phone.

Parents may be unwitting enablers of drinking and driving; more than one in three teens (36 percent) say their parents have allowed them to attend parties where it is known that alcohol will be served and 14 percent say their parents have hosted such teen gatherings.

Parents have a tremendous opportunity to promote safe driving behaviors. More than one in five teens say their parents have either not spoken with them about driving safety at all or have only talked with them once. Research strongly indicates that teens who have regular conversations with their parents about driving safety are less likely to drink and drive, less likely to speed, and are more likely to wear their seat belts.