With many area students celebrating graduations, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office has issued a reminder to all parents and party hosts that serving alcohol to minors can be a dangerous and ticketed offense.
“We are urging hosts to refrain from serving alcohol to those under 21,” said Michele James, the St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI Coordinator. “Approximately 10% of the 2011 impaired driving arrests are under the legal drinking age.”
Nationwide in 2010, 10,228 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents involving at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol level of .08 grams or higher. In St. Lawrence County alone, 95 alcohol related crashes during 2010, including 2 fatalities and 44 personal injury crashes were due to alcohol.
If a person under the age of 21 causes damage or injury to another person while intoxicated, the host of the party will be held responsible. That’s why the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department has issued a reminder to protect everyone’s safety by not serving alcohol during graduation celebrations.
