Motor vehicle crashes remain the No. 1 cause of death among 15-20 year-olds, with 7,884 fatalities recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2003 alone. Of that amount, 25 percent of drivers 15-20 who were killed in crashes had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 or higher, the legal definition for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in all 50 states.

Although alcohol-related crashes are a year-round problem, NHTSA notes how numbers spike from April to June, the months of proms and graduations. For example, in 2001, more than one third of youth under age 21 killed in alcohol-related crashes died during the months of April through June.

In 1981, a Massachusetts health educator and hockey coach named Robert Anastas took action when two of his students died from injuries sustained in two separate alcohol-related automobile crashes. He developed a 15-session alcohol awareness course in which he talked about how to prevent drunk driving and discussed the consequences of getting caught while driving under the influence.

As a result of Anastas' courses, some of his students formed Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), an organization that sought to reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths among its peers. Their efforts gained national attention, and SADD chapters sprouted nationwide. Members encouraged students to talk to their parents about this serious issue, and eventually SADD developed the idea for a "Contract for Life," where young people pledge to their parents that they will try their best to remain free from alcohol and other drugs, never drive under the influence or ride with an impaired driver, and always wear a seat belt. For their part, parents pledge they will communicate honestly, provide safe and sober transportation if their child is in an unsafe situation, and defer discussions about an incident until it can be held in a "calm and caring manner."

To clarify its mission, SADD adopted a "no use" position regarding underage drinking, noting that the purchase and possession of alcoholic beverages by anyone under 21 is illegal in all 50 states. SADD "does not believe that it is possible to break the law responsibly." In accordance with this stance, SADD and its chapters do not support designated-driver or safe-ride programs for young people or activities where alcohol is served to underage youth.

In 1997, the organization changed its name to Students Against Destructive Decisions in order to address other issues, such as underage drinking and drug use, teen suicide, violence, eating disorders, and unsafe sex. Today, 10,000 middle school, high school, and college SADD chapters reach over 7 million young people in those schools. Churches, youth groups, and community centers can also establish SADD chapters. Thanks to efforts of SADD and other prevention initiatives, teenage deaths due to drinking and driving have decreased 60 percent over the last 25 years.

SADD often teams with federal and state agencies and other nonprofit groups in its prevention and awareness efforts. Its latest campaign, "Think About It . . . Prom & Graduation Season," designed in partnership with NHTSA, guides readers through each stage of putting on a school program or assembly prior to prom and graduation at which students can view recommended videos, role play situations regarding choices about alcohol and other drugs, or participate in panel discussions comprised of community professionals. Local judges, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and health care professionals can answer questions and give an accurate picture of the consequences students could face after a night of illegal partying.

Campaign materials also coach young people on how to meet with school administrators to plan activities and discuss how school alcohol and drug policies can be enforced during prom and graduation. Step-by-step instructions are included that show how to form committees and panels, what to say on the phone to prospective panelists, how to set up meetings, and how to write press releases, letters to the editor, or op-ed articles.

A recent study by the National Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully developed until age 25. SADD's efforts to get teens to stop and "Think About It"--before they get into a car under the influence at prom or graduation--are especially appropriate for highly impressionable young people.

For information about SADD materials or to find out how to form a SADD chapter in your area, visit http://www.sadd.org/ or call 1-877-SADD-INC.

--Published April 17, 2006