Red Ribbon Week, a seven-day stretch dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, kicked off on October 20. State Farm is partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to teach teens about the risks of drinking and driving by distributing a booklet called "The 411 on Teen Drinking" to high schools across the nation.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen drivers are four times as likely to get into accidents as older motorists, and consuming alcoholic beverages before getting behind the wheel greatly increases that risk. The booklet discusses how alcohol affects teen brain development as well as the immediate effects that make driving under the influence so dangerous. It also covers peer pressure and making good choices to help keep teens safe on and off the road.<\/p>\n
"When it comes to underage drinking, teens may feel like 'everyone is doing it,' but the truth is that only one out of five teens binge drinks – which means four out of five don't," said MADD National President Jan Withers. "MADD and State Farm have teamed up to empower teens to avoid avoid underage drinking during Red Ribbon Week and year-round with research-based tools like the 'Power of You(th)' teen booklet."<\/p>\n