Forsyth Sheriff: Tips for Teen Safety

Patch Staff Report

In the aftermath of last weekend's fatal vehicle wreck in which a local teen was killed and the driver was allegedly drinking alcohol after having been at a large unsupervised party, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office provides these tips to help keep your teenagers safe.

1. Monitor their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other accounts. There is an unfortunate amount of drug/alcohol references being made by our high school aged children that not all parents are not aware of. There are many other social media platforms they might also be using.

2. Talk to them about their evening plans and verify where they will be. Knowing where our teens are going to be is a huge part of helping them make better decisions.

3. Continue practicing driving with your teen drivers. Turning 16 and getting a license doesn't have to be the end of their driver education.

4. Come up with a teen driving agreement and have them sign it. If they violate it, then stick to the consequences that were agreed on in the contract.

5. Talk to them about the recent fatality incident and other incidents. Have an open-ended conversation about what they might do if faced with similar situations.

6. Continue talking to them about drugs and alcohol. This can be an opportunity to have an open and honest conversation about a serious issue.