High School Students Reminded To Avoid Drinking and Driving After Prom

In many school districts across Virginia students are making plans for prom night throughout the months of April and May. Each prom season, teenagers will be enticed to participate in post-prom activities, which often include underage drinking or the use of illegal drugs and other substances. These activities are dangerous in and of themselves; however, driving after consuming alcohol or other mind-altering substances can have life-altering consequences.

Each year, the lives of hundreds of teens and other individuals end too early because of drug and alcohol-related accidents. Commonly, alcohol related accidents claim numerous lives aside from the intoxicated driver. High schools across the country have been holding demonstrations with mock accidents to show the potential consequences of driving under the influence on prom night. According to one local report, students at local high school exhibited an emotional response after visualizing their friends and peers in an accident demonstration.

While fatalities are common when drivers operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, they are not the only consequences of the offense. Even if you are not involved in an accident, you may be stopped by a Virginia police officer and charged with a DUI. In Virginia, DUI offenses often result in the loss of your driver’s license, fines and jail time. Prom is meant to be a fun and festive time of year for students; however, the potential consequences of drinking and driving are never worth taking a chance behind the wheel.