Stay Safe this Spring Break
With spring break looming, many students are planning to trade in their books for beaches. Whether your kids are in high school or just starting college, make sure to talk with them about underage drinking AND drinking and driving before they head down the coast.Maybe you’re thinking, “My kid is too young to drink, so I don’t need to talk to him.” Wrong! According to a new report from researches at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center of Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, alcohol is responsible for 4,700 deaths per year among young people under age 21. In fact, more than 70 percent of high school students have consumed alcohol, and about 22 percent engage in heavy episodic drinking. Therefore, it’s never too early to talk with your kids about alcohol.Another fact to know before sitting down for the talk is about drinking and driving. Did you know that most still drive when they are tipsy or buzzed? Make sure your kids know the saying, “Drive sober or get pulled over.” Additionally, give them these tips from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety:• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your keys at home.• If impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation.• If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement.• If you see or know someone who is about to drive impaired, take that person’s keys and help him or her make other arrangements to get home safely.During spring break, it’s better for your kids to be safe than sorry. Plus, drinking and driving accidents have multiple consequences. In addition to possibly causing serious injuries or even death, these types of accidents also bring jail time and will spike up auto insurance rates in Sandy Springs.So, go bathing suit shopping, pack the sunscreen and then talk with your kids about staying safe this spring break!