Operation Grad Night brings awareness to teens, parents

Teens, alcohol and driving can be a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately, this time of year, many teens choose to celebrate graduation and the upcoming summer holidays with a few friends … and a few drinks.

Motor vehicle traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the age group 16-20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-tion. Alcohol is a major factor in many of these crashes — especially during the months of May and June.

For a concerned group of area citizens and law-enforcement and emergency professionals, this reality just isn't acceptable.

Their goal is to instigate awareness in teens and parents to keep Bonner County's kids safe during graduation and the rest of the year. Operation Grad Night is planned for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

During this event, a motor-vehicle collision involving teenage "victims" will be realistically enacted, complete with crushed vehicles and uniformed emergency personnel. The event gives teens the chance to witness first-hand the potential outcome of the deadly link between drinking and driving.

Though the program is aimed at graduating seniors, parents are encouraged to attend, and the public is welcome. However, attendance of children under the age of sixteen may not be appropriate due to the explicit nature of the program.

The end of the school year is an excellent time for parents to talk to their kids about drinking and driving. Not only does Idaho have a zero-tolerance law for underage drinking and driving, but the possibility of an injury crash — or worse, is too real to ignore.

Make sure you know where your kids are, and if they do go out, make sure they know to buckle up and follow posted speed limits and other traffic safety violations.

If you don't talk to your kids about drinking and drugs, someone else will. And it might not be the right someone. Communicating to your kids is the first step in celebrating a happy and safe 2006 graduation.