As prom season descends upon local high schools, so do teens with an alcohol free fun prom and after-prom environment. Dan River ASAP has long supported the ongoing efforts to reduce teenage drinking and driving and drug use, and increase the awareness of the deadly consequences of such behavior.
Among the more successful programs are “After Prom” parties, which not only discourage the use of alcohol and drugs, but also provide a safe and enjoyable alternative for teens. Some high schools may not participate in this type of program, but have other programs that promote the educational information of underage drinking and drug use and abuse.
Dan River Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) has offered each year an educational grant to qualifying public high schools in the jurisdiction that Dan River ASAP serves (the cities of Danville and Martinsville, the counties of Franklin, Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania). The funds for the educational grant are generated each year through the DUI/drug offenders participating in the VASAP program.
As a criminal justice program, the primary purpose of each ASAP in Virginia (24 ASAPs) is to provide probation and education/intervention services to the offenders referred by the courts for DUI, first offense drug, and other related offenses. The primary public safety goal of VASAP is to improve transportation safety and public safety by decreasing the incidence of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and thereby reducing the number of alcohol and other drug related crashes and their negative impact on society.
Each year many teenagers are injured or killed in alcohol related traffic fatalities on prom and graduation nights. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young adults between ages of 15-19 years of age. ASAP’s goal is always to help high schools offer safe After Prom and educational information throughout the school year for other activities to increase their awareness of underage substance abuse usage.
