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Think Twice!
I placed this letter to the editor in my local newspapers last week, right before the annual high school prom. I hope it made a difference.
Teens please take this message to heart. I am a teen, too. I know that prom is coming up this weekend. You are making sure everything is ready for the big night. Here are some other important things to consider on your big night. It is illegal to consume alcohol if you are a minor. On top of this, it is illegal to drink and drive. Your judgment is the first thing that is affected by alcohol consumption. You might be drunk without knowing it. If your driver is drunk refuse to ride with them and take away the keys. It sounds mean, but it could save your life and the lives of others. Please wear your seatbelts. Not only is it the law, seatbelts save lives. Don't drive until all of your passengers are buckled in. Don't text and drive. It is dangerous enough in the daylight, it becomes much more dangerous if you try to text and drive at night. There is no reason that our communities need to lose another teen in an automobile wreck. The hardest thing for a parent to go through is the loss of a child. Think about your friends, classmates, and family members, how hard would it be for them if you were seriously injured or killed in an auto wreck? Think about the firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and police officers, who are the first responders to motor vehicle accidents. They don't like to see anyone injured or killed especially young people. You still have your whole life in front of you. Remember, friends don't let friends drive drunk, text and drive, or drive without their seatbelts fastened. Let this be a memorable occasion, not a sad and tragic goodbye.
Please think twice!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Unfortunately most teenage kids will not listen and we will loose several through acts of ignorance, bravado and over consumption of drugs and etoh. Hopefully, some will read your editorial and will think twice. You only get one life...
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Moose on
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I agree with Capt BZ here. Unfortunately you lost most of the readers when you mentioned "alcohol". They are teens, they are at the age where they know everything there is to know about everything, so unfortunately most of the readers never finish reading letters like yours. But I hope they do.
We try to scare the life out of them around here. We run huge mock accident scenes using members of the highschool acting clubs all gored up and positioned around wrecks and make it look as serious and REAL as possible. We even have the parents on the sidelines "Crying" and acting out as if they lost their child for real. There is always one or two students who get the white sheet draped over them and they are usually right in front of the crowd so they can get a good look and hopefully it sinks in. Scare tactics help some, but it needs to be a coordinated effort from fire/ems, law enforcement, school staff including guidance councelors, and parents to continually talk to students and make them see its not worth it.
Having fun in a responsible way can be just as fun and you get to go home. Good work, keep it up and hopefully you reach some of them if not all.
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Permalink Reply by David Wagner on
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Rache
Good message
One of my earlier calls was an MVA late prom night car traveling at high speed
hit a culvert bump in road and went airborn an hit a tree 6 feet up and wrapped
around it 4 were in csr 2 died at scene 1 broke back and was wheelchair bound
only one survived intact after long hospital stay
Bad stuff haunted many in Dept
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Permalink Reply by Andrew on
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I think you lost the kids when you said consuming alcohol is illegal, so it shouldn't be done.
Kids don't care - they know it's illegal. It will take a much more potent message to get the point across - statistics, realistic videos showing drunk drivers, and offering rides.
Kids should know that it's stupid to drink and drive, but they'll most likely drink regardless of what others say.
There was a video that was created not too long ago. It was a pretty vulgar commercial regarding drunk driving, with a couple of girls getting into an accident from drinking and driving. There was blood, trauma, ect. The point is that it scared the kids, getting the point across utilizing potent imagery. I think it was deemed "too violent" and it was never aired, but I wish it had been. Kids/teens think they're invincible these days. I did, too, when I was younger and I initially acquired my drivers license.
I see too many teens getting into car accidents in my district, too, and they don't always involve alcohol. The fact is that they are inexperienced drivers with minimal driver education. Throw alcohol into the mix, and I think that any commercial should be shown to get the point across (within reason). The one I saw looked realistic (slightly Hollywood) enough, but it didn't know anyone getting decapitated or anything.
Either way, as I said before, they're gonna drink regardless. The biggest thing is ensuring that they don't get behind the wheel after they're intoxicated.
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Permalink Reply by Rachel on
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Thanks for your replies! I did not only write about alcohol, but also texting and wearing seatbelts. I had several people stop me and tell me that it was well written. I hope at least one teen read the entire letter.
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Permalink Reply by Bull on
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Here is a link to a movie that some students made, hope you all check it out and use it if you can. They done a very great job. Let me know what you all think...
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/35495204.html
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