Real costs associated with teen drinking and driving
December 12, 2007 · Jennifer Husmann

The Department of Education federal Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse received this year by Mount Vernon School District has a goal to reduce underage drinking and binge drinking among our teens. As the community efforts toward this goal really start this month, it is interesting that December is also National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention month.

Obtaining a driver's license is a transitional time in a teenager's life when they obtain more freedom than they have ever had, but it is also a time with more responsibility than ever before. Parents can take this opportunity to talk to their teens about all the costs drinking can produce (financial, legal, social, emotional, physical, etc.), particularly the costs of driving after drinking.

While parents definitely shouldn't condone teen drinking, they cannot completely ignore the subject of driving after drinking either. Parents should openly discuss the serious consequences of drinking and driving with their teens. Teach teens to avoid riding with friends who have been drinking. Try to help teens avoid being with people or in places where this situation will occur. But if it does, tell your teen that they can call to get a ride home anytime with little or no consequences if the alternative is to ride with a friend who has been drinking. One family suggests having a secret word or phrase for the teen to say when calling home for a ride. This way the parent will know it means there is alcohol at the party, and the teen's friends will not overhear them asking for help, if that is a concern for them.

Teens should not have to be responsible for driving home other intoxicated teenagers. It is often hard enough for a teenager to drive safely with other sober teens in the car, not to mention teenagers who have been drinking. Studies suggest a secondary result of the effective designated driver (DD) campaign is that binge drinking has actually increased for teens and adults. Well-intentioned designated teen drivers are enabling other teens to continue risky behavior, and 40 percent of the time the DD actually has had one or more drinks themselves (Loyola, Internet).

As teen binge drinking increases, many negative results occur such as fights, falls, sexual assaults, alcohol poisoning, illicit drug use, and more car crashes, often involving innocent victims. Parents working together to reduce underage drinking, rather than promoting designated driving to teens, will result in a safer community for our children and adults.

Parents should discuss with their child the consequences of getting behind the wheel even after one or two drinks. Did you know there is a zero tolerance law in Iowa for minor drivers? Blood alcohol levels of .02 to .08 also result in serious consequences. Even one or two drinks can affect any person's ability to drive their best. Teens already are so inexperienced in driving. Even if your teen is pulled over without causing an accident, a drunken driving conviction can mean license suspension, probation or jail time, high insurance premiums, and thousands of dollars worth of fines. Even first-time OWI offenders can face 48 hours in jail and approximately $4,500 in costs. This approximate cost does not include the lost opportunities with an OWI on their record. There are jobs, scholarships, and even loan applications that the young person will not be able to obtain because of the offense.

The breakdown on basic costs is something like this (alcoholalert.com):

Vehicle towing and storage fee: $57

Driver's license reinstatement fee: $20

New license: $23

Driver's license civil penalty: $200

Car insurance premium increase: $900

Interlock or "blow & go" device: $390

OWI penalty fine: $1,000

OWI classes: $250

OWI substance abuse evaluation: $100

Probation administration fee: $250

Attorney fees: $ 00

Missed wages: $400

Total: $4,490

Financial costs are tremendous, but the risk to your child's or another's life are much greater. Take some time to discuss drinking, and driving after drinking, with your son or daughter soon.

(Editor's Note: Jennifer Husmann is the administrator of the grant Mount Vernon is using to reduce underage drinking.)