Families striving for safe spring
| • | Parents explain how to handle grad night |
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
The season from prom to graduation is one of the most dangerous times for those under 21 to be on the road, and with nearly two dozen schools holding commencement ceremonies this weekend, parents are looking for ways to keep their kids safe on one of the biggest nights of their lives.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving recommends events such as Project Graduation as one of the best ways to keep kids safe and sober on graduation night. But MADD, Honolulu police and other organizations offer these suggestions for those who will celebrate at home: • Do not offer alcohol to any guests, including those of legal drinking age. • Plan alcohol-free activities to keep guests engaged. • Serve non-alcoholic drinks, such as sparkling cider or mixed drink recipes at www.maddhawaii.org. • Take car keys away from those who arrive intoxicated and call their parents to pick them up. • Invite compatible guests so no one feels left out of the crowd, since lonely or unfriendly people often drink to excess. • Be at home and attentive during the party. If the party is at someone else's home, volunteer to help supervise. • Make sure none of the guests brings alcohol into your home. • Tell those who leave that they may not return, eliminating the possibility that some guests may leave to drink elsewhere or bring alcohol back to the party.
In Hawai'i, three of the seven minors who died while driving drunk last year did so during April, May or June, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Celebrating graduation safely
Project Graduation — all-night, alcohol-free parties offered by many schools — will keep about half of the state's 12,150 graduates off the road on their graduation nights, but the other 6,000 will celebrate on their own.
Many parents plan to hold parties in their homes, while others say they will throw dinners or lunches at restaurants to make sure kids don't get served alcohol.
Alcohol-related crashes can occur at any time, but the chance of a teen being involved increases after graduation, said Honolulu Police Sgt. Robert Lung.
"They aren't restricted about staying home and going to school, so they would be more apt to be around late at night and therefore the risk factors are increased," Lung said.
A bill passed last year gives parents even more incentive to keep kids sober. Hawai'i's Social Host Liability law can make parents liable if a minor drinks alcohol in their home and then kills or injures another person.
Lung said police will have roadblocks and sobriety checkpoints during all the summer holiday weekends, as well as any other times they have the available personnel to do it.
He suggests keeping parties alcohol-free for children and adults.
"If you're mixing the kids with the adults, after awhile they don't watch the kids and the kids start wandering off, or they go to the bar," he said.
Lung also warns that parents shouldn't feel comfortable letting their kids drink at home under their watch. "The kids start drinking while the adults are home, then they want to go out for more adventure," he said. "Parents go to sleep before the kids and the kids go out."
William Leung, who graduated from McKinley High School last year, said all the parties he attended were dinner parties at restaurants.
Dayla Yamamoto, a 2001 Waimea High School graduate, attended 10 to 15 house parties the summer after high school, but said the emphasis was on "eating, dancing and having a good time," rather than alcohol.
Having constant music, and a live band, if possible, could help deter minors from drinking, Yamamoto said.
Carol Kehoe's daughter and friends from Kahuku High School are planning their own alcohol-free party. Kehoe will be there, but she trusts her daughter Darcie to make the right decisions even if she goes to unsupervised parties where activities are less wholesome.
Kehoe does not condone drinking and expects that Darcie will leave if alcohol is present, as she did recently when she went to a party expecting dancing and encountered drinking instead.
"If she does go to some, she'll be fine and she'll just get disgusted like she did at that one and just come home," Kehoe said.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
