Friends Do Let Friends Drive Drunk
Written by Curtis Reed, Posted on , in Section Teens & Tweens
Ad campaigns with catchy slogans just don’t seem to have the impact that we want to believe they do. Some anonymous individual telling us that real friends don’t let friend drive drunk simply doesn’t cut it. The sad truth is that friends still allow their friends to drive drunk, and some even encourage it.
Drunk driving is a serious issue plaguing our youth today, but too many teens either simply don’t care, or think that they won’t get caught. The teen attitude of invulnerability certainly plays a role, but many people believe that by diverting our attention to the distractions of texting or talking on cellphones has actually lessened our involvement with underage drinking. We can’t let our vigilance wane when talking to our teens. It’s never too soon to involve yourself with your teen in talking about the consequences of driving while under the influence. Stressing the importance of not doing themselves, but also not allowing their friends do it. Peer pressure can make teens do stupid things. They crave acceptance and the unfortunate part of it all is they allow it to control their decision making.
Narrowing the Gap Between Drunk Driving and Peer Pressure
It is never too early to start talking to your teen about the negative effects of alcohol and driving under the influence. Ask them if their friends drink, try to be objective and if they respond affirmatively, suggest that your teen offer to be their friends designated driver. This allows them to still socialize with their friends, but it also empowers them knowing that they hold their friends safety in their hands.
What if their friends become belligerent or threaten violence if your teen refuses to let them drive drunk? Teach your teen that they can anonymously call 911 and report a suspected drunk driver. Dispatches take this information very seriously and will have it investigated. It is important to explain this as looking out for the friend’s safety and not as ratting them out, even if the friend gets in trouble, your teen was doing the right thing because “Real friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”
