Most people don’t think of high school students when they hear about drunk driving cases. Unfortunately, this is one of the many issues that these minors in Arkansas are facing.
Every two years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveys high school students. In the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance study 1,700 students from this state were included. The results of the survey were rather troubling.
There were four areas in which Arkansas ranked first above other states. These were drunk driving, forced sexual actions, bullying on school property and suicidal thoughts. One doctor cautions people reading about the study to avoid putting too much emphasis on it since the results might be skewed since they are self-reported by the teens.
One doctor noted that a troubling aspect of the report is that the behaviors are being modeled after the parents. Children, including teens, need to have a clear understanding of what is appropriate and what consequences they will face if they don’t abide by the law.
If a teen is exposed to alcohol, they should be taught that there isn’t ever a time when it is acceptable to drink and drive. This is especially true for underage drivers, but shouldn’t be acceptable at any time.
When young drivers are arrested for drunk driving, they are facing the stark reality of the criminal justice system. They will need to make some very pointed decisions about the direction of their defense. This can be difficult for some teens, but ignoring these charges isn’t a possibility for them.