Keep Your Teens Safe at Prom

It won’t be long until Prom season is upon us. Boys and girls dressed in their finery will head to dinner and then dancing. Mom’s worrying will start before they leave the house. Will they be safe? What if there’s drinking? How will they get home?

To protect your teen and make the night memorable, you might think about hiring a chauffeured car. And if you share the costs with some other parents, the price can be reasonable.

The National Limousine Association provides these five tips when you hire a transportation service for your teenager’s big night:

1.    Ask the transportation company for the Prom Promise. This is a document that teens sign in agreement of not drinking or taking drugs on Prom night. Many limousine and chauffeured transportation companies offer this contract as a way to give parents an outlet to discuss the importance of safety on Prom with their teens.

2.    Give the transportation company a curfew. That’s right; the chauffeur will abide by any rules you set forth, and will make sure to pick up and drop off your kids at a designated hour. This is a great way ensure your kids make it home on time, no excuses.

3.    Check with industry associations to make sure the company you choose is reputable. Companies who belong to industry associations usually must abide by special insurance regulations and service rules. Reputable associations such as the National Limousine Association (NLA) and the local livery association are good indications that your service provider does their due diligence. If you are still stuck, consult www.nlaride.com. The National Limousine Association’s website lists licensed, properly insured limousine professionals by community. Consumers can compare services, pricing, vehicle availability and receive non-binding online price quotes.

4.    Set some ground rules. As the parent, you have the right to tell the transportation company what will and will not be tolerated in the vehicle. For example, you can ask that the chauffeur keep the privacy screen down for the entire ride, so that he/she has a full grasp of what your kids are up to. If any of your rules are broken, the chauffeur can turn the car around and bring your kids home.

5.    Remember to sit back and relax.  A reputable company hires drivers with proper training and licensing. Theses chauffeurs are used to carting around excited passengers all day long, so they know how to keep things under control.

Prom is one of those teen rites of passage and we all want our kids to have fun. But we want them to be safe, too. Keep these tips in mind if you decide to hire a car and you’ll rest easier on Prom night.

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor

1.    Ask the transportation company for the Prom Promise. This is a document that teens sign in agreement of not drinking or taking drugs on Prom night. Many limousine and chauffeured transportation companies offer this contract as a way to give parents an outlet to discuss the importance of safety on Prom with their teens.

2.    Give the transportation company a curfew. That’s right; the chauffeur will abide by any rules you set forth, and will make sure to pick up and drop off your kids at a designated hour. This is a great way ensure your kids make it home on time, no excuses.

3.    Check with industry associations to make sure the company you choose is reputable. Companies who belong to industry associations usually must abide by special insurance regulations and service rules. Reputable associations such as the National Limousine Association (NLA) and the local livery association are good indications that your service provider does their due diligence. If you are still stuck, consult www.nlaride.com. The National Limousine Association’s website lists licensed, properly insured limousine professionals by community. Consumers can compare services, pricing, vehicle availability and receive non-binding online price quotes.

4.    Set some ground rules. As the parent, you have the right to tell the transportation company what will and will not be tolerated in the vehicle. For example, you can ask that the chauffeur keep the privacy screen down for the entire ride, so that he/she has a full grasp of what your kids are up to. If any of your rules are broken, the chauffeur can turn the car around and bring your kids home.

5.    Remember to sit back and relax.  A reputable company hires drivers with proper training and licensing. Theses chauffeurs are used to carting around excited passengers all day long, so they know how to keep things under control.

Prom is one of those teen rites of passage and we all want our kids to have fun. But we want them to be safe, too. Keep these tips in mind if you decide to hire a car and you’ll rest easier on Prom night.

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor

Comments

[THINK Prom Promise Contract]

I found this article while researching how to discuss a sober and safe prom night celebration with my son. I plan to utilize many of the tips that you have mentioned, including asking my child to sign a prom promise. He’s developed into a responsible young man, but that doesn’t mean we won’t discuss the dangers of alcohol abuse and drunk driving.

I also found another great resource that I think can be helpful to anyone with children who will be attending prom this year. Nationwide Insurance has teamed with MADD to create the THINK Prom Promise contract program to help teens abstain from drugs and alcohol during prom and throughout the rest of the year.

Thanks for an informative read, Becky. I hope other parents find this information as useful as I do.