Real? Not Real? THINK Before You DRINK THINK Before You DRINK
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2012 MICHAEL A. DEMAYO SCHOLARSHIP - SUBMITTED BY DAKOTA PALACIO TEEN DRINKING & DRIVING THINK before you DRINK The Drinking Game Real? Not Real? With society and media glamorizing drinking and other adult behaviors, teens have fallen into the danger zone. With few outlets to express their growth from childhood to adulthood in positive ways. Far too many take on negative CONTENTS behaviors in the attempt to appear mature or to mimic what they see and believe to be cool behavior. Unfortunately, this leads many tweens and teens to life threatening situations as many begin drinking in their pre-teens. In essence, 2 we truly are playing The Hunger Games with our youth; however, it would be AMY’S STORY True story of how drinking and more appropriately tagged in our society as ‘the drinking game’. In the light of the ever popular set of books The Hunger Games can your teen answer the driving changed lives forever. follow as real or not real? The first step to good decisions is reality and fact. 3 • Each year as a result of drinking 5,000 youth lose their WHAT IF lives? Challenges tween and teen may face regarding drinking and • Teens that drink are at risk of life-long alcohol abuse? driving • Every year 1,900 teens under 21 lose their lives from under age drinking and related accidents? 4 IT ALL STARTS WITH • Fatal crashes involving younger drivers (16-20) are more ONE SIP likely than drivers over 21? We are seeing alcohol use in younger age children. • High school students that consume are more likely to attempt suicide? 5 OTHER RISK FACTORS • Drinking coffee, showering or a big meal can drop your What drives kids to drink? blood alcohol level quickly? • Girls are more likely to have higher blood alcohol levels 6 that boys who drink the same amount? CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING • Every year, 900,000 people are incarcerated for DUI/DWI? Take a look at some of the legal and health issues surrounding • Tweens between grades 6 and 10 have the largest gain underage drinking when it comes to drinking? • If you drink you should wait 45 minutes per alcoholic drink 7 and add 15 additional minutes if you’re female? Q&A Here are the answers to some The above answers are as follows: common questions about 1.) Real, 2.) Real, 3.) Real, 4.) Real, 5.) Real, 6.) Not Real, 7.) Real, 8.) Real, 9.) Real 10.) Real drinking Now, the question is will you choose to be safe? 8 CITATIONS Sources Real? Not Real? TEENAGE DRINKING & DRIVING 1 TEEN DRINKING & DRIVING Amy’s Story a man calling for help. I looked at him tears in his eyes. I didn’t understand and could see fear in his eyes. He took until I got older. I don’t remember much about that his coat off, quickly wrapped me up and awful day. I was five years old and my sat me in his back seat. The car was dark My mother and sister were pulled mother and sister and I were coming and I was cold and wet. I could feel the out and taken to the nearest hospital. home from dinner with friends and handfuls of cold, wet mud caught in my My sister was pronounced dead on family. It was dark and I was sleepy. I clothes. The yellow flashing lights scared arrival (DOA) but my mother was wanted to unbuckle but my mother said me. He said, “Stay here.” I decided to critical. She was struggling to breath “Absolutely not.” but I continued to beg. listen and watched as he ran down the because of all the water and mud that I wanted to lay down in the back seat. bank. I couldn’t see him for a long time got into her lungs they explained to me. After a great deal of effort, she finally but it wasn’t long before the police and I still didn’t understand and just knew gave in and allowed me to unbuckle they could fix that by wiping it out. and lay down. I must have fallen My mom woke up and talked to asleep because all I remember next family but all she would say was she was falling. The car was spinning and had to go take care of sissy and that turning upside down. The world she loved me. That was the last erupted into chaos of scraping metal time I heard my mom say anything. and breaking glass. I heard screams A drunk driver ran us off the road and mom say “Oh my God!” I could that night and didn’t even stop to feel my body slamming into the seats see what happened. I don’t know into the glass and the hard sides of what it is like to have a mother or the car. Then everything was silent. sister as a teenager or adult because The car gave a metallic moan like a someone choose to drink and dying animal and sank into it’s final drive. They were stolen from me. resting place. I staggered onto my There is not a day that goes by that elbows disoriented and trying to I don’t wish I could rewind time and remember which way was up. change it. Please don’t be the Suddenly, water started filling the car person that leaves anyone else in my hands started to submerge in this situation. Far too many things water that was entering through the can happen that can’t be un-done. broken windows and the bent doors. I guess I’ll spend some of my life We landed in a river and the front of wondering what if it wouldn’t have the car was starting to fill up. My happened. What if I would have fingers frantically grabbed at mom kept my seatbelt on and would I and my sister’s clothes, who were have been trapped too and got to go both in the front seat. My nails dug to Heaven with them? Then I into their jacket and shirt but I wouldn’t be alone here. Would they couldn’t move them. I pulled and pulled other help showed up. The police man have made it if I would have tried until I thought my hands and fingers looked at me in the car and said, “Stay harder to pull them out? Why would a 5 would snap. I was too little and not here.” I had got that already and I year old be left behind to have so many strong enough. My mom was barely nodded feeling alone and trapped in this questions when they are not old enough awake and I looked down into her sad car. I could see him and other people to understand the choices made that day. eyes. She mouthed the words, “Get out” headed down the bank. I wanted my Please choose to be safe. Please make a and motioned to the broken window. I mommy and sissy. The red and blue choice to never drink and drive and climbed out and had second thoughts flashing lights scared me more than the better yet, just don’t drink. Life is too turning back to the car. She growled at yellow ones did because of the loud precious and more importantly it can’t me to “Go.” The problem was, I didn’t screaming siren. be changed or redone. know where to go. I stood there but mom wasn’t speaking any more and I Later the man who gave me the *This is a true story and names couldn’t see my sister. I struggled coat came up the hill covered in mud. have been removed or changed to clutching at the muddy ground but I He was wet and shivering and he had protect the innocent. made it up the bank. Suddenly there was TEENAGE DRINKING & DRIVING 2 TEEN DRINKING & DRIVING What if... Think Before You React Hey, we’re having a party at Molly’s. Her parents are Well you’re not going to get home if you don’t get in going away for the weekend and her brother is going to besides nothing is going to happen. his girlfriend’s. We’ll have the place to ourselves. If you’re ever at a party or event and find yourself in a Even though it might sound exciting to have some situation that is uncomfortable just call home. Parents may be unsupervised time with friends without someone to say don’t, stop angry due to their worry over your safety but they will come get it or even cut it out. You might think on this invitation a bit you and keep you safe. If someone has been drinking, don’t get in longer and figure out what might be the car even if it is a sibling, friend or taking place that you wouldn’t want parent. Call for help, just don’t get in parents or a responsible adult to see Peers are saying... the car. You can repair relationships or overhear. The best rule is if you They choose not to drink because but you can’t repair death or some can’t say it to your parents or friends injuries due to drunk driving. parents, then it is more than likely not its unhealthy, against the law, worth doing and the resulting trouble uncool and parents warned them You’re not cool. You are a goody-goody and won’t do it might create.