Schools, Youth Groups Offer Safety Tips Before Prom Night

It’s prom night in Hampton Bays and Westhampton Beach and graduating seniors will be dressed to the nines in tuxedos and dresses with frills and lace. Photos will be taken and corsages will be pinned. Aside from being a special night to remember, prom night is also synonymous with drinking, drugs and sex. However, school officials in Westhampton Beach and Hampton Bays say they are doing all that they can to ensure the safety of their students.

Christopher Richardt, principal, says keeping students safe is the district's first priority during prom season. 

In accomplishing that task, Richardt says the district, in conjunction with the  presents a "Prom Drill," which includes a Power Point presentation and simulated rescue. 

During the simulated rescue, Richardt says the fireman cut open a car on stage to show our students the realities of a car accident.

Then, a week before the prom, the district holds a mandatory meeting for all parents and students attending the event. 

"During this time, we share national statistics regarding DWI and offer advice to parents regarding a non-negotiable prom plan."

Copies of the SADDContract for Life, said Richardt are also handed out. 

"We ask that every parent sign this document with their child as a reminder that safety comes first," said Richardt.

To further guarantee the safety of students, the district is requiring that all students attending proms take chaperoned buses to and from the event, which the district provides.

Similarly in Westhampton Beach, the school district also requires that students use transportation provided by the school district and also holds an assembly for all students who are attending the prom.

The Westhampton Beach Coalition, which is part of the non-profit organization, is instrumental in providing alcohol education to teens during prom and through the year. In preparing parents for prom season, the organization has put out the following safety guide: 

•  Be sure to talk to your child about the dangers and consequences of drug and alcohol use and driving under the influence.
• Communicate with your teen's limo/bus driver and let him know your expectations and check the limo/bus for alcohol before departure.  
• Provide the limo/bus driver with a phone number where you can be reached should the need arise.
• Communicate with parent's of other teens in the limo/bus. Make your expectations clear to them.
• Be sure to get the names and parent contact information for each person in your teen's prom group.
• Know your teen's plans for prom night. Be sure to get specific information about time and destination, as well as who has permission to ride in the limo/bus.
• Be sure to establish check-in times when your teen must call you.  
• Make sure you teen knows that you are available all night. Give your teen the option of calling you at any time during the night for advice or a ride home.  
• Wait up for your teen. An overwhelming 70% report  not using any substance knowing their parent will be awake when they get home. 

Taking to teens about drinking and drugs, said Kym Laube, executive director of , should not stop at prom and in HUGS' recent newsletter, the organization stated that the deadliest days for teens are upon us and that the conversation needs to continue.  The organization recommends setting the following rules for teens:  

• No drinking alcohol.  
• Insist on seat belts at all times and in all seating positions. Low seat belt use is one of the primary reasons that teen driver and passenger fatality and injury rates remain high. 
• Ban the use of all electronic devices, including cell phones. 
• Limit nighttime driving and control the number of teenage passengers in the vehicle while they are driving.    
• Limit the number of passengers your teen is driving.
• Continue to have "The Conversation" on an on-going basis.