Teens, drinking and driving

Wisconsin law states it’s illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to drink alcohol. So if it’s illegal, should we assume teens are not drinking? Should we assume they are not drinking and driving? No.

As with most parenting concerns, turning a blind eye only makes it worse.

Driving is one of the first major responsibilities a teenager faces and adding alcohol to the mix in any way is a bad idea. The best approach is to make sure teens understand your expectations, the laws and the dangerous consequences that come from making poor decisions and breaking those laws.

If you have clear conversations about guidelines and consequences, you’ll help lay the foundation for your teenager’s good decision-making in the future. Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports only 31% of parents of 15 – 16 year olds believe their teenager had a drink in the past year, compared to 60% of teens in that age group who actually reported drinking. As with anything in parenting, open communication goes a long way toward safe behavior.

Talk with your teenager and help prepare them to make good decisions. It’s also important to recognize that hosting underage drinking parties is never appropriate or safe; and it’s against the law. There’s no safe way to do this. Don’t enable your teenager.

Spending time talking with your son or daughter will reinforce safe driving and good habits, and your conversations will stick with him or her. Remember, teenagers are less likely to take risks if parents simply talk with them. A Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (http://www.parentingmyteendriver.org/rulesboundaries.html) study found that teens are 50% less likely to be in a crash if parents are actively involved in nurturing safe driving. A good foundation of understanding and support will help your teen think twice before making a bad decision that can become habits in the future.

It’s hard to remember that teens are learning to navigate relationships with others and engaging in new activities. Teens can quickly find themselves in a situation they no longer wish to be in but may not know how to get out of it. Give your teenager a tool to get out of a tricky situation. Establish a code word or phrase – it may be a babysitting job, a piece of clothing or a chore. If your teen ever finds himself or herself in trouble, he or she can simply call you and mention the code. As a parent, you can step in acting angry about the forgotten topic and tell your teenager to “get home right now” or that “I’m coming to get you right now.” Your teen is immediately out of danger and you have an open door to talk about ways he or she might identify the problem sooner next time.

Remember that with the teenager years, your son or daughter is not only faced with maturing independence and growing responsibility, they’ll be faced with difficult decisions. Simple communication can give them the backup and support they need to make the right decisions and take care of themselves and their passengers.

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