AAA Urges Caution for Prom Partygoers

                                                                                                                                                  Phoenix, Ariz., April 16, 2009. While high school proms are a right of passage for teenagers this time of year, they are also a time that can quickly turn tragic, as motor vehicle crashes remain the No. 1 cause of teen deaths. As a result, AAA Arizona would like to encourage parents and teens to keep the following acronym in mind as they prepare for P.R.O.M: Please Return On Monday.

Each year, more teen lives are claimed by traffic crashes than by alcohol, drugs, suicide and violence—combined. In fact, in 2007, 119 teen drivers and passengers were killed in traffic crashes and 9,342 were injured across the state, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Crash Facts. A teen’s risk of crashing doubles between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. And weekend crash rates rise dramatically: about two-times as many fatal crashes occur on Saturdays, compared to Wednesdays. In addition, April was a deadly month for motorists of all ages in 2007 with 96 fatal crashes that month.

“In this season of celebration, we want teens to return home safely on prom night and return to school safely the following Monday,” said Linda Gorman, director of public affairs for AAA Arizona. “Parents can play a key role in educating teens on driver safety by utilizing tools such as parent-teen driving contracts and adhering to Arizona’s graduated driver’s license law.”

Arizona’s graduated license law, which took effect last summer, can serve as an important tool to protect teen drivers. The law provides passenger and nighttime restrictions for new teen drivers, as these are areas that pose the highest risk for teens. For more information on the law, visit http://www.teensatthewheel.com.

In addition to ensuring teens adhere to Arizona’s graduated driver license law, AAA Arizona recommends that parents talk to their teens before prom night:

• Drugs& Alcohol. Make an agreement with your teen that they will not drive or ride with anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Arizona is a Zero Tolerance state and teenagers should not have any alcohol in their system. An offense can lead to a 2-year license suspension, $1,500 in fines plus surcharge, an Interlock Device costing more than $800, and can affect a teen’s ability to be insured or to go to college or get a job.

• Buckle Up. Make sure your teen wears their safety belt and knows the importance of buckling up every single time they get into a car, even if they are just driving or riding a short distance. Almost two-thirds of teen drivers and passengers killed in crashes were not wearing safety belts.

• Distractions. Limit the number of passengers allowed to ride in your teenager’s vehicle to no more than one. Also, discuss the dangers of other distractions with your teen, such as cell phones and music, among others. Nearly 80 percent of crashes involve distractions.

• Other Drivers. If you’re teen is riding with someone else, make sure you know who they will be riding with. If their plans change and they end up riding with someone else, make sure they let you know so you know who they are with at all times.

• Parent-Teen Contracts. Parents should consider implementing a this type of contract, as a helpful way to open the lines of communication as it can clearly spell out driving privileges, responsibilities and consequences. It can also be used to ward off peer pressure. A sample contract can be found at www.aaaaz.com/news/documents/Parent_teencontract2.pdf.

• Dare to Prepare. Parents and their pre-licensed drivers can attend AAA Arizona’s award-winning workshop. It provides parents with critical information they will need to know before letting their teens take the wheel, and will walk teens through the necessary steps to obtain a permit and a driver’s license in Arizona. The program is free for AAA members. To register, please call 602.241.2945.

AAA Arizona also offers a variety of products and materials to help parents and their teens maintain safe driving habits during the learning-to drive process and beyond. For more information visit www.teensatthewheel.com, the auto club’s teen driving Web site.

AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 800,000 Arizona members. Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists. Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

###