Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter Addresses Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking in New Radio Campaign

Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter Addresses Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking in New Radio Campaign

Spots encourage use of designated drivers and open dialogue between parents and teens

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter today launched a campaign aimed at preventing drunk driving and underage drinking with new 30-second radio public service announcements (PSAs) set to air on stations throughout the state. The spots are timed to coincide with the busy fall season and will air 2,300 times between now and the end of November.

"Promoting the use of designated drivers is an important message leading up to Thanksgiving and the kick off of the holiday season," Carter says. "This campaign reminds adults that we all play a part in preventing drunk driving and that one of the easiest and most effective ways to do that is to designate a driver. By doing so, Hoosiers are joining the millions of adults nationwide who have been or have used a designated driver."

The good news is that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that drunk-driving fatalities have declined 36 percent since 1982. Statewide, drunk-driving fatalities dropped 40 percent during the same time period.

Carter also takes aim at underage drinking with two radio spots that remind parents about the importance of talking with their teenage and college-age children about underage and abusive drinking. According to a report from the National Academy of Sciences, two-thirds of teens who drink say they get alcohol from their parents or other adults. Further, the GfK Roper Youth Report(TM), a survey of teens conducted for more than a decade, reveals the majority of teens (69 percent), ages 13 to 17, have consistently cited their parents as the No. 1 influence on their decisions to drink or not.

"Parents have a tremendous influence on their teens' decisions about whether or not to drink," explains Carter. "By communicating openly and honestly and setting a good example, parents play a critical role in ensuring their children make smart, safe choices."

Fortunately, recent government studies show that underage drinking continues to decline. According to the federal government's 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 83 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds do not drink. In Indiana, that number mirrors the national average at 83 percent. Likewise, teen drunk-driving fatalities are down 63 percent nationwide and 74 percent statewide since 1982, according to the DOT.

The three radio spots, which are available for download at http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/press/, will rotate in paid airings on radio stations across Indiana through late November.

GfK Roper Youth Report is a trademark of GfK Custom Research North America.

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Source: Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter

CONTACT: Staci Schneider, +1-317-232-6351, staci.schneider@atg.in.gov,
for Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter

Web site: http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/press

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