Hosted by Youngjoo Ahn and Courtney Cheng, today’s show focuses on the impact of drunk driving and underage drinking in our third installment in our series of Tough Talks.  Reports from Ryan Sim with Pro Parley, Artsy Gifts with Youngjoo, and Book It! with Courtney. Our hosts also interview young author, Michelle Scarvada talks about how the death of a sibling via a drunk driver affects everyone with her new book, Weeping Willow.

Joseline Suarez, a young teen from Youth Voice in San Diego joins us with personal experiences and information to prevent teens from drinking.  Alcohol related accidents kill someone every 30 minutes and injure someone every two minutes.Nearly one-third (31%) of driver deaths ages 16-20 were drinking drivers,  One-half (50%) of deaths ages 21 to 25 were drinking drivers. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of drinking drivers in crashes were male. The Youth Voice teen will talk about society and drinking promotions, how teen drinking affects relationships, and what can be done to curb this epidemic of underage drinking. 

Underage Drinking impacts youth through Social Consequences, Physical Consequences, Emotional Consequences, and is a critically imperative risk factor in youth's well-being.   Alcohol impairs judgement, decision making, actions/reactions, and one's sense of reality.  Teenage girls who binge drink are 63% more likely to become teenage mothers.

Often, underage drinking is a teenager's mask to their own life and reality.   Called "self-medicating", they just want to hide from their pain.  By drinking, they distort their lives and mask their pain.

Peer pressure can also impact underage drinking.   Taunting from their friends can have devastating consequences, from molestation/rape to fights.   Drinking & driving has horrific consequences.  45% of people who die in underage drinking accidents are people other than the driver. 

Weeping Willows is a true story about a young girl's journey after tragically losing one of her siblings from a drunk driver when she was 15. Written by twenty-something Michelle Scavarda of Yorktown Heights, New York, this beautifully written and poignant story tells about how one young girl struggled through an unspeakable tragedy. 

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/62637/immigration-laws-impact-teens

VA http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/62637/immigration-laws-impact-teens

EY: http://starstyleradio.com/RADIO_SHOWS/Express_Yourself%21_Radio/Entries/...

Cynthia Brian produces Express Yourself!® for more info visit www.StarStyleProductions.com