Parents Matter
South Dakota Unveils New Drinking and Driving Prevention Plan 

Today the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the Attorney General’s Office, unveiled a new campaign for keeping teenagers safe on South Dakota’s roads.

It’s called "Parents Matter." The campaign is multi-faceted and is designed to curb underage drinking and driving.

• The state is making a public plea to parents to get them involved in children’s decisions and to talk to their kids about drinking and driving. Did you know, a recent survey commissioned by The Century Council shows that 65% of underage drinkers got their alcohol from family and friends? 
• The state is making a new commitment to aggressively prosecute people who provide alcohol to minors. The Attorney General’s Office now has staff to help states attorneys prosecute people who provide alcohol to minors.  
• The state isn’t giving up. The "Parents Matter" campaign will continue throughout the summer and into the school year. 
• The state wants your help. If you have ideas on how to curb underage drinking and driving in South Dakota, email us at dpsinfo@state.sd.us. 

"We’re really trying to energize the communities with this program," said Secretary Tom Dravland, South Dakota Department of Public Safety. "Our goal is get parents more involved in this issue and to get a free flow of information out there. We’re looking for good ideas we can use to keep kids alcohol free."

The campaign has gained support from dozens of groups across the state including state and local law enforcement, states attorney offices, and other community groups, as well as from the families of people who died in drinking and driving accidents.

South Dakota Public Broadcasting will provide an online audio recording of the Rapid City news conference. It will be accessible at 3:30 p.m. central time today. The media can access it by visiting www.state.sd.us/dps or www.sdpb.org.