Keeping South Carolina’s young people safe during the annual “prom and graduation party season” requires cooperative planning and action by educators, parents, community agencies, concerned citizens and law enforcement.   

That was the message at a press conference promoting the Graduation Season Community Safety Kit – a joint project of the South Carolina Department of Education, the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services and the Department of Public Safety.  Their aim is to share safety tips and raise awareness about the consequences of risky behavior surrounding student celebrations, especially from the middle of April until the middle of June.

That timeframe coincides with a seasonal rise in alcohol-related traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the fact that more than one-third of all DUI-related deaths involve people from age 15 to 20.  State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex (pictured) said schools use education and prevention programs to warn about drinking, but a more comprehensive approach is needed to publicize the hazards of mixing alcohol and adolescence.  

 “Underage drinking affects not just our teens, but the entire community,” Rex said.  “We’re asking parents, educators, business and faith leaders and concerned citizens to help us guide young people away from self-destructive behavior and toward a better understanding of when and how to make sensible decisions about alcohol.  Working together, we can make a difference.”  

The state’s “Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” campaign warns adults that providing alcohol to young people or allowing underage drinking at home is illegal and could lead to stiff fines and possible jail time.  The penalties even apply to adults who rent hotel or motel rooms or beach houses while knowing that underage drinking will occur on the premises, according to Lee Catoe, director of the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services.

"At DAODAS, we provide tools and support for the three tactics proven effective in the prevention of underage drinking – curtailing the availability of alcohol, consistent enforcement of existing laws and regulations, and changing norms and behaviors through education," Catoe said.  "Our 'Parents Who Host' campaign has been in place since 2007 to educate parents, and all South Carolinians can help by supporting their local Alcohol Enforcement Teams, which are now in every county in South Carolina, and by reporting any and all violations of underage drinking laws."

“Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” information is available on the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services website  along with related materials that can be downloaded for use. 

Parents and other caring adults also need to be proactive and have open, honest dialogue with teens about avoiding risky situations involving alcohol and drugs.  Surveys show that parents are still the number one factor influencing their children’s decision on whether or not to drink.

“This is not a time to let down our guard as parents,” said Kay Coker, who chairs Lexington School District One’s Community Coalition.  “Our environment is polluted with messages that glorify hangovers, imply that alcohol equals success, and that intentionally try to hook young people to drinking for life to ensure the industry’s steady stream of profits.”

Two high school students at the press conference agreed with Coker’s assertion that media and peer pressure encourage teen drinking.

“Movies and TV shows designed to attract high school students usually have a party scene that includes alcohol,” said Mary Maddox, student body president at Chapin High.  “These kinds of messages are the ones that teenagers experience in everyday life.”

“The more students are educated about the effects of alcohol, the more they will understand the effect it has on their bodies and how it mentally and physically impairs them,” said Valerie White, the school’s student body secretary.   

The Office of Highway Safety says an average of 26 teens between the ages of 15 and 18 die each year in DUI-related accidents on South Carolina’s roadways.  The Highway Patrol has been visiting schools statewide to talk to students about the dangers of underage drinking and driving while impaired. 

Highway Safety director Phil Riley said troopers have been especially vigilant in watching out for young drivers at prom time and in reaching out to youth and adults about the need to remain sober and drive safely.

"Adults providing alcohol to teens put them and others at great risk of getting injured or killed in a DUI-related collision," Riley said.  “Unfortunately, too many adults don't seem to understand that underage drinkers will eventually get behind the wheel, and drinking and driving is a deadly combination. Add the inexperience of teenage drivers to the mix, and that combination becomes even deadlier."

The Graduation Season Community Safety Kit announced at today’s press conference includes these materials:  

• A “Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” poster with the message -- "Have a teen drinking party.  Go to jail." 
• A postcard for hotels/motels informing adults it is illegal to rent a room for underage drinking. 
• A postcard-sized parent fact sheet for parents.
• South Carolina high school student statistics about underage drinking, including the costs of underage drinking in the state. 
• A "Parent Pledge" for adults to sign, stating they won't enable underage drinking.