The memory of prom night likely conjures up all kinds of memories for Pennsylvanians — some of them funny, some of them cringe-worthy, and others happy. Unfortunately, for many people in Pennsylvania, the thought of prom night reminds them of a loved one whose life was lost in a car accident due to the bad choices made by a driver who had been drinking.
These situations are terrible things to endure for anyone, but some people are using the stories of their experiences to educate today’s kids as they go out for this year’s prom season all across the state and the country.
One high school principal drives this point home by showing students a slide show of his family and explaining that they have seen more of his family than his late brother ever did. The principal’s brother, along with the man’s fiancée, were killed in a drunk driving accident in 1997, when the principal’s brother was just 23 years old.
When it comes to prom season, the numbers are staggering. According to government officials, about 5,000 people teenagers are involved in accidents across the country on an average prom weekend. Those are almost all preventable accidents because many of them involve drivers who have been drinking.
While prom season might remind us all about the dangers of the road, car accidents happen all throughout the calendar. People who have been injured as a result of another’s negligence often consult with experienced personal injury attorneys who can help educate them about how they can seek compensation for their injuries.
Source: Lancaster Online, “Bringing them home: Schools stress prom night safety with dramatic stories, simulations,” Tom Knapp, May 4, 2014