Summer might usually be associated with ice-cream, days at the beach, and Fourth of July fireworks, but it’s also a time known as “The 100 Deadliest Days” for driving teenagers. This is because, as hard as we may try to shelter them from alcohol, all too often they end up drinking and then driving, a toxic recipe for disaster.

Teenagers are already more likely to have an accident in their car, and the numbers only get worse when they’re been consuming alcohol. While the statistics of teenage drink drivers has been steadily improving for the past two decades, we’re not quite out of the woods just yet. Around 10% of high school students drank and drove in 2013, and more than 22% of students had been in a car with someone who had been drinking.

When we look closely at the stats from the Center for Disease Control, we see just how preventable the fatalities could be. The number of people who have died from drinking and then driving, who also have been wearing their seat belt, and who also had their accident between 3pm and midnight shows that we can all do more, whether that’s educating our sons and daughters about the real dangers involved with alcohol, or simply ensuring that we know what they’re up to when they go out, we can reduce the high numbers even further.

What Can You Do?

With summer still a few months away, now is the perfect time to start the dialogue with your children about alcohol. You can do this by initially letting them know what your rules are around drinking and let them know that you have a zero tolerance policy on drinking and driving, as well as being in a car with people who have been drinking. After you’ve let them know your thoughts, the best way to prevent them acting irresponsibly is by engaging with them about what they’ll be up to when they go out. It’s possible that they haven’t even thought about how they’re getting from A to B – and more importantly, B to Home. By asking them these questions, you’re directing them to think for themselves about their personal responsibility. Knowing where they’re going, to do what, and with whom is a way to ensure their safety. All going well, they’ll be receptive and thus can have a safe summer of fun.