admin March 19th, 2008
March 19, 2008
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An article recently published in the Fulton Sun highlights the dangers of underage drinking at house parties. Many adults seem to think that it’s acceptable to give teens alcohol, falsely believing that teens are safer at home than at bars or restaurants.
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The story of one 16-year-old teen who crashed her car into a guardrail when her blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit is recounted. She had been drinking earlier in the evening at a fraternity house party before getting into her car to drive home. The teen is considered lucky, as she only sustained a broken leg in the incident.
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One suggestion to keep teens away from drugs and alcohol is to encourage them to get involved in sports or other extra-curricular activities that promote positive influences and outcomes. Also, the stereotype associated with it being acceptable for teens to drink at home or friends’ home needs to be dismissed.
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According to the article, about 30 million people (ages 12 and older) drive while intoxicated during 2006.
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Read more.
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http://www.fultonsun.com/articles/2008/03/19/news/287news02drinking.txt
Popularity: 100% [?]
admin March 12th, 2008
March 12, 2008
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According to a recent study, many children as young as 11 and 12 years old have had alcoholic beverages. These dangerous behaviors, which start at a young age, can grow into addictive habits by the time these children reach high school. The study correlates the kids who drink with violent behaviors and lack of positive and constant adult role models.
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The study also finds that alcohol prevention programs aimed at elementary-aged children may prevent future alcohol abuse and dependence. In addition to programs at schools, parents are encouraged to take active roles in teaching their children about the dangers of drinking and to be positive role models.
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Read more.
http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USFLE16310720080311
Popularity: 76% [?]
admin March 4th, 2008
March 4, 2008
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Many teens think they are invincible—and many teens are poorly informed. According to recent studies, teen drivers and their unbuckled passengers are at the top of the list regarding dangerous, and often fatal, car crashes. One statistic says that out of 10,000 children passengers who died in auto accidents, more than half of the accidents involved teen drivers.
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Additionally, car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. Most accidents with teen drivers are on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or greater, and about two-thirds of the teens were not wearing seat belts.
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As a result, many states are pushing for stricter rules for getting learner’s permits and driver’s licenses. Also, many states already have rules that restrict the number of teen passengers allowed in a car when a teen is driving.
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Read more.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23452668/
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Popularity: 71% [?]
admin February 29th, 2008
February 29, 2008
Steven K. Galson, the acting U.S. Surgeon General, says that Americans need to change their perception of underage drinking as a harmless rite of passage. Not only does underage drinking temporarily impair teens’ brains, studies have shown that drinking can result in long-term problems in brain function. Also, teens who drink before age 15 are five times more likely to become alcoholics, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
For those who think underage drinking is harmless, think again. In 2005, underage drinking cost Americans $60.3 billion, according to the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center. These costs include medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering associated with teen drinking. Underage alcohol consumption is also a factor in physical and sexual assaults, traffic crashes, alcohol poisoning, and property crimes.
Popularity: 69% [?]
admin February 28th, 2008
February 28, 2008
A new ordinance regarding underage drinking is being considered in Santa Clara County, California. The ordinance states that civil penalties could be imposed on property owners who allow underage drinking on their properties. According to the Mercury News, the penalties could include civil fines as well as reimbursement of the county’s costs of responding to the incident.
Some questions have been raised about the ordinance, however, because many times, the property owners are parents and they aren’t always aware of underage drinking at their homes or other properties. While some parents may not feel this is not fair, it may increase parents’ awareness of their children and their children’s friends and actions.
Read more.
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_8390856
Popularity: 72% [?]
admin February 26th, 2008
February 26, 2008
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Last weekend a group of teens in Pennsylvania were involved in a serious auto accident after they had been drinking at a party. According to reports, the driver admitted to having five beers before getting into his car with four friends. The car was said to have crashed into two trees, the second one being cut in half by the car.
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All five teens were taken to local medical facilities for treatment with one passenger, 15, suffering serious head injuries.
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The driver, 17, faces charges of general impairment and traffic citations of careless driving and driving too fast. He may have more serious charges brought against him once the results of his blood alcohol test are complete. The other passengers have been cited for underage drinking.
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Read more.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-teens-02262008cn,0,4409152.story
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Popularity: 90% [?]
admin February 25th, 2008
February 25, 2008
As the problem of underage drinking and driving becomes more prevalent by the day, a group of people in Pueblo, Colorado, has come together to spread awareness and education about the important topic. The group, the Pueblo Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking, began four years ago after a tragic auto accident resulted in the deaths of three area teens and severely injured another teen.
The group, which includes school leaders, law enforcement officials, and youth counselors, go to Colorado Springs high schools and Pueblo high schools to talk about the dangers of underage drinking and driving. According to KOAA TV, there are 5,000 deaths every year that are attributed to underage drinking.
Read more.
http://www.koaa.com/aaaa_top_stories/x408978435
Popularity: 71% [?]
