RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Prom season is upon us and now is the time for many parents to have a serious conversation with their teenagers about the consequences of drinking and driving.
But the risks for teens and alcohol go beyond what happens on the road.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), alcohol is the most commonly used drug by youth. New statistics show car crashes make up 32 percent of underage drinking, while 68 percent of the fatalities in young people attributable to underage drinking were due to homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and other causes.
On Sunday, April 21, MADD is asking parents to take part in PowerTalk 21 Day. It is a day dedicated to encouraging parents to talk to their kids about drinking.
"Kids are going to attempt different things and try different things and experiment and parents need to have that conversation," Chris Konschack Manager at MADD Virginia said. "Too often parents say 'Oh not my kid and not my problem' and they don't go ahead and have those conversations, or they start when there is already a problem. And what we are trying to do is encourage folks to have a conversation before there's a problem."
This marks the third year for PowerTalk 21. For more information click here.
