I am often asked to describe the worst thing associated with the being an Ohio State Highway Patrol officer.

Unfortunately, I have a simple and sad answer each time that question is posed. More times than I care to remember, I have had to inform a parent of a son’s or daughter’s death resulting from a motor vehicle crash.

Every year the stories of tragedy seem to repeat themselves in communities all over Ohio. A teenage boy or girl involved in an alcohol-related crash, not wearing a safety belt, is thrown with tremendous force into the windshield or ejected from the vehicle. A young life senselessly ended in a matter of moments.

Statistics show drivers 16-20 years old are consistently over-represented in Ohio’s fatal crashes.

Teens make up seven percent of all of Ohio’s licensed drivers, but account for 16 percent of drivers in all crashes and 15 percent of drivers in fatal crashes.

Motor vehicle crashes nationwide are historically among the leading cause of death for teenagers.

As the prom and graduation season approaches, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers will be out cautioning area teens against drinking and driving.

While troopers will be involved in educating teens about the perils of drinking and driving, we will also utilize high visibility enforcement in an effort to apprehend those who make the wrong choice to drive impaired.

This is a time in the lives of teens that can quickly turn tragic when wrong decisions are made. These are preventable tragedies, and our troopers will work diligently to ensure this is a safe prom and graduation season.

As a part of the statewide Ohio Department of Public Safety None for Under 21 Campaign this April and May, troopers will visit local schools and conduct safety presentations to reinforce what we call "consequence education."

Troopers will conduct special presentations, stage mock crash scenarios, and work with local schools on other programs.

The campaign also focuses on penalties for Operating a Motor Vehicle After Underage Consumption (OMVAUC) and the use of fake IDs to purchase alcohol.

In addition to a DUI charge for those who test .10 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or above, law enforcement officers in Ohio can file charges against any driver under 21 who has a BAC of at least .02 percent but less than .10 percent.

Teens convicted of operating a motor vehicle after underage consumption face a license suspension of anywhere between 60 days and two years. The courts may also commit teens to as many as three days in a certified alcohol and drug addiction program.

Additionally, four points are assessed to the violator’s driving record, and a remedial driving course must be completed before a drivers license will be reissued. The remedial driving course is required to devote a number of instruction hours in the area of alcohol and drugs as related to the operation of a motor vehicle.

A person under the age of 21 who presents a false, fictitious, or altered ID or driver license when purchasing alcohol will also incur severe penalties.

A first offense results in a mandatory fine of $250-$1,000 and up to six months in jail. A second offense carries a mandatory fine of $500-$1,000 and jail time up to six months and a possible 60-day license suspension. Teens that commit third and subsequent offenses face a mandatory fine of $500-$1,000 and jail time up to six months, a 90-day license suspension with an option of community service, and a license suspension until age 21.

The None for Under 21 campaign begins each April and involves students wearing a memorial bracelet in memory of those students who were killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes. Information cards are also distributed to students and their parents, and posters drawing attention to the dangers of impaired driving are prominently displayed in high schools.

Additionally, local law enforcement agencies, state liquor agents, and alcohol retailers will work collaboratively on efforts to curtail the illegal purchase of alcohol and the use of fake IDs.

Regrettably, the issue of teenage drinking and driving is a problem that impacts countless families each year. I urge parents, teachers, and teens to join the Patrol this prom and graduation season in making it a time of celebration, and not one filled with tragedy.