Prom and graduation season is upon us, and with this time of year comes the increase of youth under the age of 21 who tragically get killed in alcohol-related traffic fatalities nationwide.

The national highway traffic safety administration has stark evidence that prom and graduation season is a particularly dangerous time for our nation's youth.

FSU graduate Rachel Tramonte says, "Because everybody's celebrating you know, it's graduation, it's prom, it's big moments in your life. And unfortunately whether you're at age or not - alcohol is available."

Alcohol is a drug and one of the primary consequences of alcohol, which is the most dangerous in terms of drinking and driving, are its effects on the central nervous system.

"Drinking and driving is a frequent event we see in the emergency room, especially with severe accidents and others injured by a drunk driver, says Dr. Larry Hobbs.

The lack of appropriate response is what puts everyone on the roads in imminent danger when a person who has had too much to drink gets behind the wheel. Ashley Younger, from Lee County's public information office, reports there were 145 fatalities last year total just in Lee County. "We just want to get the word out to lower the crash fatalities that happen at this time of year."

Parents are advised to take an active role in communicating with your teens about the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking. Make sure your teens have planned out their celebration activities and KNOW what they are.

"Making sure that they (teens) have a plan and that they're going to be staying in one place, just ensures, it limits them to the amount of accidents that can happen," says Rachel.

For more information you can go to www.promtips.org.

Prom and graduation season is upon us, and with this time of year comes the increase of youth under the age of 21 who tragically get killed in alcohol-related traffic fatalities nationwide.

The national highway traffic safety administration has stark evidence that prom and graduation season is a particularly dangerous time for our nation's youth.

FSU graduate Rachel Tramonte says, "Because everybody's celebrating you know, it's graduation, it's prom, it's big moments in your life. And unfortunately whether you're at age or not - alcohol is available."

Alcohol is a drug and one of the primary consequences of alcohol, which is the most dangerous in terms of drinking and driving, are its effects on the central nervous system.

"Drinking and driving is a frequent event we see in the emergency room, especially with severe accidents and others injured by a drunk driver, says Dr. Larry Hobbs.

The lack of appropriate response is what puts everyone on the roads in imminent danger when a person who has had too much to drink gets behind the wheel. Ashley Younger, from Lee County's public information office, reports there were 145 fatalities last year total just in Lee County. "We just want to get the word out to lower the crash fatalities that happen at this time of year."

Parents are advised to take an active role in communicating with your teens about the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking. Make sure your teens have planned out their celebration activities and KNOW what they are.

"Making sure that they (teens) have a plan and that they're going to be staying in one place, just ensures, it limits them to the amount of accidents that can happen," says Rachel.

For more information you can go to www.promtips.org.