Drinking and driving

by Tom Campbell, Executive Producer and Moderator, NC SPIN, December 24, 2014.

The worst nightmare of any parent is that phone call saying there has been an accident involving your child. The leading cause of death among 15-20 year olds involves motor vehicle crashes and alcohol, speed and driver errors are the leading contributing factors. The heartbreaking stories of those who have experienced these losses are compelling enough to intensify our efforts for their safety.

This month, North Carolina kicked off a $2.5 million campaign to inform young people and parents of the dangers of underage drinking. The average child starts drinking before age 14, binge drinking is becoming common and parents too frequently condone or deny the problem. A recent survey of 500 parents and 300 middle school children found 87 percent of the children said underage drinking is a problem, but only 62 percent of parents agreed. Governor McCrory said, “The study shows there is a lot of denial among adults.”

The state campaign has several elements, including a 7-minute video that features personal tales of the tragedies of drunk driving. TV ads urging parents to “Talk it Out: Start the conversation. Stop underage drinking.” The ads are graphic and shocking. One shows a parent spoon-feeding baby food to an adult child suffering from a brain injury. Another has a mother talking to a daughter in a coffin. Lt. Governor Dan Forest is touring the state’s middle schools, speaking to assemblies about how underage drinking can impair judgment, lead to poor decisions and can kill.

Many consider underage drinking a “right of passage” for high school and college students. Perhaps this adult acceptance or acquiescence has likely led to today’s reality that drinking begins before the teen years.

These types of campaigns work. Not long ago our state engaged in a similar campaign warning young people of the health risks of smoking resulting in a decrease in the number of teens smoking. Education and public awareness are essential elements in public safety, which makes it all the harder to understand why our leaders decided to stop funding driver’s education.

A look at the statistics makes the case. According to the 2012 DMV statistics, the latest we could find, teen drivers were involved in 37 percent of all traffic accidents in our state. The leading causes for these accidents included drinking, speed and driver judgment. Anything that lowers the number of accidents and fatalities saves healthcare expenses, reduces the time public safety officers spend investigating these accidents and ultimately saves money on automobile insurance.

Nationwide statistics show that teenage motor vehicle deaths most frequently occurred between 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, prompting our state leaders to wisely restrict driving privileges for our youngest drivers through graduated licensing. Our laws also require that anyone under age 18 must undertake 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind the wheel before obtaining a driver’s license and students could be required to pay as much as $55 toward the costs of this education. Now it is an unfunded mandate.

If North Carolina believes that driver’s ed is important enough to require for those under 18 then it should be important enough for the state to fund. We think the costs are justified. Anything that helps prevent injury and deaths among our young is a worthy public investment.