With Amsterdam High School's Senior Prom coming up, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara is again hosting a special event to talk to teens about the consequences of drinking and driving. Students will assemble in the high school auditorium to sign Santabarbara's Arrive Alive pledge, encouraging teens to make a promise not to drink and drive or ride with anyone who has done so and parents to promise to give a ride home at any time, no questions asked. The Arrive Alive Pledge has been made available to high school students in Montgomery and Schenectady County school districts represented by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara.

“One life lost to drunk driving is one too many, especially since drinking and driving accidents are completely preventable,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “That’s why I’ve partnered with the schools in my district, like Schenectady, to encourage teens and their parents to take the Arrive Alive pledge. Prom should always be about having fun and celebrating the end of a successful school year – it should never end in tragedy.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 teen drivers involved in a car crash had alcohol in their system. Further, young drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 are 17 times more likely to die in a car crash when they’ve been drinking and had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over .08 percent. However, even at a lower BAC, judgment and ability is impaired, which can lead to potentially devastating consequences.

"I hope this pledge reminds teens to always think twice before getting into a car with someone who has been drinking,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “By having events like this, we can encourage real, honest conversations about drinking and driving that can help sons and daughters make good decisions that keep them safe and we can also let them know that we’re always here for them.”