The night finally arrives. Your son or daughter spent hours getting ready in the bathroom and preparing for the big night, prom night. Their date finally comes to the door, and your kid is ready to speed off to the local high school. Unfortunately, it is the last moment some parents have with their children.
Prom nights are notorious for risky behavior among teenagers, so it’s unsurprising that risky behavior also translates to their driving. Teen drivers may speed, skip signs or drink while driving. It’s crucial to know how you, as a parent, may prevent any severe crashes on prom night.
Offer a ride to the school or venue
While most teenagers do not want to be seen with their parents, you can at least offer your child and their date a ride to the big dance. It’s likely they will say no, but it’s always a great way to open up a conversation about expectations and safe driving to and from the dance.
Discuss standards for drinking and driving
While most teens won’t admit they drink alcohol, you may know better as their parent. As their parent, you can establish the dangers of drinking and driving. Tell your child that teenagers are drinking than any other time, or an underage drinking costs at least $500 in fines.
Once you establish the consequences, devise a plan where if your child does drink, they call you and have you pick them up. Tell them you won’t ask questions or punish them. All you want is to make sure they get home safely. You can even establish a code word or an emoji to text in case of an unsafe situation.
Host the post-prom after party
An excellent option to keep teens safe on prom night is to host the post-prom after party. Discuss with your teenager what their plans are after prom ends, and offer to host the party at your house. It will ensure they are in a safe environment, and you can keep an eye on any of the festivities.
Ultimately, parents can do everything in their power to prevent a car accident, but it’s the children who make the final decision. If your child is hurt during a car accident, seek immediate medical treatment and consider filing a personal injury claim depending on the incident.