12 Tips for Driving on Prom Night Every Parent and Teen Should Read
Prom is a special night for high school students to celebrate the end of the school year. Students all over the country spend hundreds of dollars − from corsage to tuxedo − to make the evening a special one.
Sadly, every year Americans hear reports of prom-goers getting into car accidents as a result of drinking and driving. Mothers Against Drunk Driving, with the help of Nationwide Insurance, has worked passionately since 1980 to lower these statistics. It's been a successful campaign, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reports that drinking and driving among teens dropped 35% from 1990 to 2005.
In addition to drinking and driving, accidents can happen any time students are distracted, even for just a few seconds, or because they are wearing clothing that doesn't allow them to move freely. Prom season is a good time to revisit a few easy-to-follow tips to keep this special night safe.
For teens:
-
Always wear your seatbelt and make sure everyone in the car does,
too.
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Concentrate and drive defensively. There are likely to be a lot of
distracted drivers on the road on prom night.
-
Have directions to the dance − even drive by the location during
daylight hours − if the prom is not held at your school, so you know
where you're going.
-
Understand that the average vehicle weighs 3,000 pounds. It may be easy
to drive, but it's still a heavy hunk of metal.
-
Never allow someone who has been drinking to drive, no matter how
confident the driver is about his abilities. It's not worth the
risk.
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Remember that tired drivers are dangerous, too. If you're barely awake,
you shouldn't be behind the wheel.
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Call home to get a ride. No matter what time it is, parents would
rather pick you up than have you drive in a dangerous situation.
-
Take your cell phone to prom so you have one in case of
emergency.
- Take a spare pair of comfortable shoes with you for driving so you don't have to hit the brakes while wearing unfamiliar high heels or bulky dress shoes.
And for parents:
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Make sure you know where your child is going to be during the
dance and at the after-prom parties.
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Don't allow too many prom-goers into one vehicle. (More passengers
means more distractions.)
- Consider a limo or an adult driver to chauffeur students − someone who has more experience driving at night and someone who is not hopped up on prom-night adrenaline.
