Deadly combination: High school graduates face danger when driving drunk

It's the season of high school graduations and precious memories being made for teenagers everywhere. And with the coming-of-age moments come times for celebrating with friends and family.

Unfortunately, some teenagers seem to feel the need to heighten their celebrations and newfound status with alcohol, and it makes for a deadly combination. Every year, the headlines blare the sad news that some teen got behind the wheel of a car or truck after having had too much to drink and the results turned out to be fatal, with the driver either killing himself or herself or a friend.

It's senseless and tragic. But it's the truth. There is something about graduating that makes young people feel grown up all of a sudden, and they go out and try to show off by having one too many and then hitting the road, confident in their driving ability, even when they should know better.

Teenagers aren't in the habit of reading editorials. So if you know a teenager who is graduating, or planning to party with friends who are, please take the time to remind them -- in the strongest terms -- that the most dangerous place in the world is that highway out there and that inexperience in both drinking and driving is a killer.

Published in Editorials on May 28, 2017 10:25 PM