Staying alive on prom night

The Scientific Research Foundation (SRF) statistics show that teen crashes increase during prom and graduation celebrations and that many of these road crashes could have been avoided by practicing safe driving behaviors.
YASA is committed to working with students, parents, school administrations and the Internal Security Forces to make sure all students can celebrate and stay alive on our roads.
Prom night is something students look forward to every year. And while it can be filled with amazing memories,
it can also be the most dangerous night in a young person’s life.
For parents, however, the primary prom-related worries are the risky behaviors associated with them, most specifically driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

YASA stresses that parents and students should remember the following instructions for the events:
_ Never drink and drive.
_ Never get in a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking.
_ Make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.
_ Keep mobile phones on and easily accessible, so parents and guardians can get a hold of you.
_ If you do get into a situation where you need assistance, call your parents, a taxi or another trusted adult.
_ Limit the number of passengers in the vehicle to eliminate distractions.
_ Never text message while driving.

Make sure prom night is a positive experience you will always remember;
avoid alcohol or any other substances that will compromise your ability to make good decisions.

Pull over and park if you have to send a message. If your children are not returning home right after the prom, you need to be able to contact them at all times until they return home. You also need to be reachable at all times as well. There can be no doubt where your kids will be and with whom throughout the evening and morning. If they are going to other friends’ houses after the prom, check ahead of time with the parents.
You also have a right and a responsibility to ask if these parents are going to allow drinking in their homes It is preferable you give your children the unconditional option of calling you at any time for help or advice.
That includes picking them up at any time of day or night, with a promise not to shame or humiliate them in front of others. Assure them that you always welcome being part of their making smart and safe decisions. This unconditional offer of help and advice should be an outstanding offer throughout their lives.
If your children complain about the safety measure you are taking, remind them that it is your responsibility to keep them alive.

In the glow of graduation, university acceptance,
even the smartest ones take risks they should not on prom night.

Alcohol
Alcohol consumption before using the roads – whether as a driver or a pedestrian – increases the likelihood of a crash occurring, as well as the likelihood that death or serious injury will result.
The risk of a road traffic crash begins to increase significantly at a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.04 g/dl and rises steeply after that for each small increase in BAC.

Seatbelts are simple to buckle- up
When a vehicle is involved in a crash and comes to a sudden stop, the bodies of unrestrained the occupants will be thrown forward into the structure of the vehicle or outside the vehicle. They are most likely to hit the steering wheel if they are driving, or hit the back of the front seats if they are back-seat passengers, or be ejected from the vehicle completely.
Seatbelts are designed to help keep people in their position in the car and away from the vehicle structure hence preventing severe injury.
Failure to use a seatbelt is a major risk factor for road traffic deaths and serious injuries among vehicle occupants. Passengers who were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of a collision account for the majority of road traffic fatalities among this group.
Moreover, passengers who do not wear seatbelts and have a frontal crash are most likely to suffer a head injury or be ejected from the vehicle. Ejection from the vehicle is one of the most harmful events that can happen to a person in a crash.
YASA estimates that in Lebanon in 2007, more than 75% of young adults aged 16 to 35 years who were killed when riding in passenger vehicles were not wearing seatbelts.