FOCUS ON PREVENTION How Does Alcohol Affect the Teen Brain? Coalition Corner Contributed by: Carroll County Substance Education Coalition Teen Drinking and Driving -A Dangerous Mix Car crashes-the #1 killer of teens-take about 3,000 young lives every year. As a parent, you should know that the main cause of teen crashes is driver inexperience. All new drivers-even high academic achievers and "good kids"-are more likely than experienced drivers to be involved in a fatal crash. It's a fact. Teen drivers are three times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal crash. Drinking any alcohol greatly increases this risk for teens. An average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 53 minutes in 2015. (NHTSA) One in 10 high school students drink and drive. (CDC) Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% than when they have not been drinking. (CDC) CCSEC According to the 2016 Illinois Youth Survey taken by Carroll County Students Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the 44% (NHTSA) As a parent, you have the greatest influence over your teen's behavior. In fact, leading experts believe parents play a key role in preventing teen car crashes and deaths. Here's what you can do: Understand that most teens who drink do so to get drunk. Recognize the dangers of teen drinking and driving and that teen drivers are at much greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol than adult drivers. of 10th and 12th graders reported that they have ridden in a car driven by someone who was drunk Provide teens with a safe way to get home (such as picking or high. They also said that they would NEVER" be caught by their consider tools like parent-teen driving agreements to set and parents if they drank and drove them up or paying for a cab) if their driver has been drinking. Model safe driving behavior. enforce the "rules of the road" for new drivers. Safe driving habits for teens include the following: never drink and drive; follow state Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws; wear a seat belt on every trip; limit nighttime driving; set a limit on the number of teen passengers; never use a cell phone or text while driving; and obey speed limits. The good news is that you can make a difference by getting (87%) and - 43% 59%of zth graders of: driving situations for your young driver-and how to avoid them. Get your copy of CDc's parent-teen driving agreement and learn more about safe teen driving at www.cdc.gov/ParentsAre TheKey. Take the first step: talk with your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and about staying safe behind the wheel. Then, keep the conversation going. For more information and tips on how to talk with your kids about drugs and alcohol visit our website at www.drugfreecarrollcounty.org. (Sources: CDC, NHTSA) GET THE FACTS: reported that they would never be caught by their parents if they For information on how to talk to your kids about drugs rode in a car driven by a teenage contact the Carroll County Substance Education Coalition driver who had been drinking. and alcohol if you need help talking to your teens at 815-244-0063 or email ccsec04@gmail.com. FOCUS ON PREVENTION How Does Alcohol Affect the Teen Brain? Coalition Corner Contributed by: Carroll County Substance Education Coalition Teen Drinking and Driving -A Dangerous Mix Car crashes-the #1 killer of teens-take about 3,000 young lives every year. As a parent, you should know that the main cause of teen crashes is driver inexperience. All new drivers-even high academic achievers and "good kids"-are more likely than experienced drivers to be involved in a fatal crash. It's a fact. Teen drivers are three times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal crash. Drinking any alcohol greatly increases this risk for teens. An average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 53 minutes in 2015. (NHTSA) One in 10 high school students drink and drive. (CDC) Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% than when they have not been drinking. (CDC) CCSEC According to the 2016 Illinois Youth Survey taken by Carroll County Students Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the 44% (NHTSA) As a parent, you have the greatest influence over your teen's behavior. In fact, leading experts believe parents play a key role in preventing teen car crashes and deaths. Here's what you can do: Understand that most teens who drink do so to get drunk. Recognize the dangers of teen drinking and driving and that teen drivers are at much greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol than adult drivers. of 10th and 12th graders reported that they have ridden in a car driven by someone who was drunk Provide teens with a safe way to get home (such as picking or high. They also said that they would NEVER" be caught by their consider tools like parent-teen driving agreements to set and parents if they drank and drove them up or paying for a cab) if their driver has been drinking. Model safe driving behavior. enforce the "rules of the road" for new drivers. Safe driving habits for teens include the following: never drink and drive; follow state Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws; wear a seat belt on every trip; limit nighttime driving; set a limit on the number of teen passengers; never use a cell phone or text while driving; and obey speed limits. The good news is that you can make a difference by getting (87%) and - 43% 59%of zth graders of: driving situations for your young driver-and how to avoid them. Get your copy of CDc's parent-teen driving agreement and learn more about safe teen driving at www.cdc.gov/ParentsAre TheKey. Take the first step: talk with your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and about staying safe behind the wheel. Then, keep the conversation going. For more information and tips on how to talk with your kids about drugs and alcohol visit our website at www.drugfreecarrollcounty.org. (Sources: CDC, NHTSA) GET THE FACTS: reported that they would never be caught by their parents if they For information on how to talk to your kids about drugs rode in a car driven by a teenage contact the Carroll County Substance Education Coalition driver who had been drinking. and alcohol if you need help talking to your teens at 815-244-0063 or email ccsec04@gmail.com.