iASK-CAB Notes

March 15, 2017

St. Patrick’s Day: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

As one of the country’s most popular holidays, St. Patrick’s Day is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the roots of 34.2 million Americans with Irish ancestry. Tragically, March 17 has become one of the nation’s deadliest holidays.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18), more than a quarter (28%) of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. The early hours of March 18 were especially deadly: between midnight and 5:59 a.m., nearly half of all crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. In fact, from 2010 to 2014, almost three-fourths of the drunk-driving fatalities during this holiday period involved drivers who had blood alcohol contents (BACs) well above the .08 limit, with 266 drunk-driving fatalities total.

Pedestrians walking while intoxicated are also at risk as lack of attention increases the risk of  getting hit by a vehicle.  In 2014, 35 percent of the pedestrians killed in crashes had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

There is some good news, however. The number of fatalities over this holiday period decreased nationally from 32 in 2013 to 29 in 2014. Likewise, the number of fatalities involving drunk drivers declined from more than one-third to one-fourth.

“We are greatly encouraged by the downward trend in fatalities,” said Irvington Chief of Police Mike Cerone. “However, we still want to encourage everyone to make a plan before heading out to the festivities. Understand the dangers of drinking and driving. Buzzed or drunk, you should not drive.  Designate a sober driver before you and your friends go out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Do not wait until you’ve already been drinking to find a sober driver. Remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Even one drink is dangerous if you are behind the wheel of a car.”

Let’s make 2017 safer. Use this party-planning checklist to stay safe this St. Patrick’s Day.

  • PARTY PREPARATION: Designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely. Find the name of a taxi company (or two), and keep their numbers in your phone, or download the NHTSA SaferRide app, available for Android and Apple.
  • ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Before you take your first sip of green beer, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend. Ensure your designated driver has committed to a sober evening. If you’re the designated driver, do not drink. Your friends are relying on you, as are the people with whom you share the road. Enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and tweet your VIP (very important partygoer) status online using the hashtag #designateddriver.
  • EVERY DAY: First, commit to driving sober today, St. Patrick’s Day, and every day. Second, always keep the number of a taxi company in your phone or in your wallet so you have a backup plan if you find yourself in need of a sober driver. Last, be sure to download NHTSA’s SaferRide app. Using your location, the app can find a taxi nearby, as well as help you contact a friend from your selected list of contacts. If you’re impaired, don’t let pride get in the way of calling a sober friend or family member to get you home safely. Help spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving, and the resources available to keep the streets safe.

Fact: In 2014, on average, one person was killed every 53 minutes in a drunk-driving crash in the United States. That totaled 9,967 drunk-driving fatalities that year. Too many people are not getting the message. Drunk driving is deadly and illegal. In fact, even if you have a BAC under .08, you could still be arrested and convicted of drunk driving.

To drink and drive is a crime —you put yourself and others at risk. The consequences are often fatal. If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local police when it is safe to do so. You could save a life.

For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov or www.iask-cab.org.

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March 9, 2017

Recap: Marijuana Awareness Month

In February, the High School Positive Impact Club planned awareness activities related to “Marijuana Awareness Month”. At the beginning of February, there was a window display for “Marijuana Awareness Month” which included facts about marijuana and its impact on the teenage brain. The Positive Impact Club students hosted a marijuana “foggles” demonstration and information table for the “Marijuana Awareness Month”. The students guided their peers through a written maze activity to demonstrate executive functioning impairment as a result of marijuana use. The table also provided information about the risks associated with marijuana use, and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) “Marijuana Facts for Teens” pamphlets were made available to students both at the table and in the high school main office.

Learn more about marijuana.

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March 9, 2017

Parent’s Guide to Teen Parties

As a parent, you know the importance of your teen’s social life and that parties are a way to socialize and relax. But an unsupervised or poorly planned party can result in unwanted or even tragic consequences. However, parental responsibility is the key to a fun and safe party.

The American Academy of Pediatrics shares some important information about teen parties. Learn more.

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February 26, 2017

Mixed Media Messages

DID YOU KNOW?  According to a recent researcher study out of the University of Stanford, more than 80% of middle-schoolers couldn’t distinguish between a real news story on a website and an ad labeled “sponsored content”?

With so many mixed messages in the media, it is no wonder it is difficult for our children to distinguish fact from fiction.

Tips to Help Your Child:

1) Talk to your children about they read online and gently redirect any misinformation

2) Encourage them to read/watch a variety of news sources. Lead by example and do the same yourself!

3) Teach your children to research a website’s author or organization before reading an article

Source: Jennifer Nunziato (Traditi), LMHC, Student Assistance Counselor, Irvington High School & Middle School, Phone: 914-269-5469

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February 19, 2017

Marijuana Legalization: Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned After 4 Years of Marijuana Legalization.

The laws have had significant negative impacts on public health and safety, such as:

• Rising rates of pot use by minors

• Increasing arrest rates of minors, especially black and Hispanic children

• Higher rates of traffic deaths from driving while high

• More marijuana-related poisonings and hospitalizations

• A persistent black market that may now involve increased Mexican cartel activity in Colorado

Learn more.

 

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February 9, 2017

Spreading Awareness with Pizza

Members of Irvington Middle School’s Positive Impact Club recently spread awareness about keeping young people in their community safe, healthy and free of alcohol and drugs with the help of two local businesses.

To convey their message, the students placed more than 400 stickers, reading in part “While underage drinking and drug use is no one’s fault, prevention is everyone’s responsibility,” on pizza boxes at Tony’s Pizzeria in Irvington and Capri Pizza & Pasta in Tarrytown.

“The project took place last week in anticipation of the increased number of pizzas that were expected to be purchased for the Super Bowl,” said Jennifer Nunziato, advisor of the Positive Impact Club and student assistance counselor. “This was a great example of coordination in our District and community.”

The Irvington Recreation Department provided transportation to both businesses with Nunziato chaperoning the students. Irvington About Safe Kids, a coalition established through a grant awarded to the Village of Irvington and Community Advisory Board, sponsored and provided the stickers.

“[Superintendent of Schools] Dr. Kristopher Harrison surprised the students at Capri Pizza and purchased a pizza to congratulate them on their hard work,” Nunziato said. “The owner of Tony’s Pizzeria also provided the students with pizza, drinks and snacks as a token of his support for the project.”

The Irvington Middle School Positive Impact Club is a leadership club that focuses on promoting healthy decision-making and spreading messages of prevention and awareness across the school and local community.

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February 5, 2017

Passenger of an Impaired Driver?

Did you know…1 in 3 teens surveyed say they have been a passenger with an drinking or drug impaired driver at least once in the past year?

Tips to Keep Your Child Safe: 

1) Teach your children refusal skills

2) Establish an emergency exit code with your child

3) Communicate clearly to your child that you are willing to pick them up if he/she doesn’t have a safe ride home

Speak to your son or daughter today about the dangers of being a passenger in the car with someone who is impaired by alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs.

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