From the desk of Sheriff Robbie K. Goins

Whatever your plans, wherever your destination, we at the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office want you to have a fun and safe prom night, and to please keep these tips in mind:Teens and Prom attendees:

  • Pay Attention: Distracted driving, especially texting or using social media while driving, is common among younger drivers. Passengers can also be a distraction in the car. Of the three,166 people were killed in distraction-related crashes in 2017, 229 were teens 15 to 19 years old. #JustDrive. Save the selfies for prom.
  • Slow Down: Speeding was a factor in about one-third of all fatal crashes involving a teen driver. Faster speeds rob drivers of the extra reaction time they may need to avoid a crash, and inexperience behind the wheel makes speeding especially dangerous for young drivers.
  • Stay Alert: Prom usually ends around midnight, and after-parties can end much later. Make sure you get home before the exhaustion hits or work out a plan with friends to stay the night in a safe place so you won’t be driving drowsy.
  • Buckle Up: Roughly half of young drivers who died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017 weren’t wearing seat belts. Remember to buckle up every trip every time and ask your passengers to do the same.
  • Drive Sober: It is illegal for people under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, and it is illegal to drink and drive. Under no circumstances should high-school prom-goers drink alcohol. But if you have consumed alcohol, hand your keys to a sober driver so you can get home safely.

I would like to ask each parent to help make the consequences clear, and remind your teens that they face adult consequences for driving after using alcohol or drugs. Make sure your teens know that if they violate underage drinking laws, they face a trip to jail, the loss of their driver licenses, and dozens of unanticipated expenses including attorney fees, court costs, and other fines. Remind them of the added embarrassment and humiliation in getting arrested. Drunk and drugged driving convictions can even compromise academic eligibility, college acceptance, scholarship awards and more.

We want to get the students’ attention. I want these prom safety tips fresh in their minds, and I want every student to have a great time on their prom night while remaining safe and making good decisions. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/26/2019-7AM)

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