As we head into the final months of the school year, it’s a good time to consider the dangers your teenager could encounter on prom night. This annual rite of passage is very important to high school students here in New Jersey and elsewhere around the United States.
While parents traditionally support their teenagers’ participation in prom and other high school activities, there are some dangers regarding prom of which they should be aware.
Peer pressure can be deadly
Underage drinking and illegal drug use often emerge during prom and after-prom activities. Even teens who never indulge in such activities can find themselves caught up in the moment and subject to peer pressure. It doesn’t take much alcohol to get a teetotaler teen dangerously drunk.
Also, although alcohol alone can kill, combining it with drugs majorly increases the risk. Many of today’s counterfeit drugs contain the deadly opioid fentanyl – and even minuscule amounts have killed many.
Drinking and driving
Even if your teen remains 100% sober, what if their date imbibes? Your son or daughter could be faced with riding with a drunk driver just to get home. Have an agreement in place that your teen can call you anytime and anywhere, in whatever condition they may be, to arrange for a safe ride home. Promise to withhold lectures that night and to deal with the consequences calmly later.
If your teen gets injured in a prom-night accident that wasn’t their fault, you will need to step up and see that they get the medical and legal support to be made whole again.
