Graduation season has many dangers

Courier News, Home News Tribune, myCentralJersey.com

By Wayne J. Forrest

As we approach the time of year for proms and high school and college graduation celebrations, I would like to offer, on behalf of law enforcement in Somerset County, our congratulations and best wishes to parents, guardians and your children at such a joyous and important time.

However, it is especially important during this time of celebration that we as adults join together to ensure our children’s safety. There is no doubt that our children will experience even greater peer pressure during this time period to consume alcoholic beverages or drugs and attend late-night parties.

In fact, many parents experience pressure themselves to agree to allow underage drinking at certain celebrations, such as graduation parties in the spring or farewell parties in the summer for those students leaving home for college.

It is important for us as parents, guardians and all adults to do everything we can to resist this pressure and prevent underage drinking, excessive alcohol consumption by young adults above the legal drinking age and drinking and driving.

It seems like almost every year at this time we in law enforcement become involved in the investigation of motor vehicle fatalities involving our teens and young adults. In many of these cases our children are either killed or are prosecuted and incarcerated.

Whenever teens or young adults drink and drive, are fatigued and drive, use drugs and drive or simply experiment with a drug, even once, they are at risk of seriously injuring or killing themselves or others.

For those young drivers fortunate enough not to be killed or seriously injured as a result of driving after having been without sleep for a period in excess of 24 consecutive hours, falling asleep while driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs — if they kill another person they will face serious legal consequences.

A conviction for vehicular homicide/death-by-auto may be either a crime of the first or second degree and result in a state prison term of up to 20 years.

If they are arrested for driving while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, unrelated to a motor vehicle collision, for a first offender it may cost them more than $20,000 in fines, surcharges, legal fees, increased insurance premiums, etc., as well as the loss of their driver’s license for a period of seven to 12 months and, at the discretion of the court, a term of imprisonment up to 30 days.

It is also unlawful for even a passenger to consume an alcoholic beverage while a motor vehicle is being operated, or for all occupants of a motor vehicle, located on a public roadway, to possess any open or unsealed alcoholic beverage container.

It is particularly important for parents, guardians and all adults to understand that if you offer, serve or make an alcoholic beverage available to a person who is under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages, you may be charged and prosecuted as well.

It is also a disorderly persons offense when a parent, or any other person who may be temporarily responsible for the care, custody or control of a minor, is convicted of DUI and at the time of the violation has a minor passenger in the vehicle.

These are just a few of the severe and tragic consequences that may await underage drinkers, those who drink and drive and parents. The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office is a partner with EmPoWER Somerset, Somerset’s Initiative for Partying Safely (SIPS)/Health Options for Prevention and Education (HOPE).

A community forum will take place on April 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Raritan Valley Community College to further discuss and learn more about the important issues involving underage and young adult alcohol consumption. By all of us collectively accepting responsibility to address these issues, we will be more successful in ensuring our children’s safety. Please join us.

Wayne J. Forrest is the Somerset County prosecutor.