Local Authorities Remind Teens and Parents: Zero Tolerance Means Zero Chances

As families and friends come together all over [city/county] to celebrate high school and college graduations, [name of sponsoring organization] wants them to know that the consumption of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 is illegal, and drivers under 21 years of age are subject to "zero tolerance" laws, making it illegal to drive after having consumed any amount of alcohol. [title/name] noted that "violation of zero tolerance laws may result in license revocation, significant fines, and extended community service." [He/she] also reminds parents and other people of legal drinking age that they may be held civilly liable for any incidents that result from making alcohol beverages available to youth under the age of 21, inducing falls, drowning, alcohol poisoning, etc.

As part of the national campaign, [name of office] is actively educating young people and their parents about the legal and deadly consequences of underage drinking and impaired driving.

Nationally, we are continuing to make progress in the fight against impaired driving, having achieved record reductions over the past 10 years. Today [your state], like all other all states and the District of Columbia, has a zero tolerance law that makes it illegal for anyone under the minimum drinking age of 21 to drive with blood alcohol levels above [.00, .01 or .02 percent depending on which state you live in]. Each year, nearly 1.5 million potential killers are taken off America's highways by the criminal justice system thanks to tougher laws and greater emphasis by prosecutors, community leaders and traffic safety advocates.

While we are making great strides, we must continue do more as a nation to prevent these senseless deaths. The fact is that impaired driving is a violent crime that accounts for more than one third of all traffic fatalities.

Impaired driving is no accident - it is a violent crime that kills. Every 33 minutes an American dies because of an impaired driver. Every two minutes someone is injured. The greatest tragedy is that these crashes are predictable and preventable - these are not accidents.

Research shows that more than 33 percent of all fatalities of 15- through 20-year-olds result from motor vehicle crashes and, of these, more than 35 percent are alcohol-related. " Young impaired drivers are involved in fatal crashes at approximately twice the rate of drivers aged 21 and over. [Note: Insert local statistics from your State Highway Safety Office here.]

[Title/name] encourages parents to provide alcohol-free alternatives for your children and friends. "We want all students to have a good time and return home safely during this significant time in their lives. No parent wants to be awakened by a late night call or visit by a law enforcement officer, or appear in court with their children to defend a DWI charge. Underage drinking is not a rite of passage. It's a deadly choice. Choose to not drink alcoholic beverages and drive and don't ride with an impaired driver. Remember - there aren't always second chances."