Although the end of the school year, with prom, graduation, and other happy activities, is an exciting time for high school students, these milestone events often come with risks.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accidents related to underage drinking and drug use tend to spike each year in the months of April, May and June - which also happens to be prom and graduation season. Students Against Destructive Decision, or SADD, reports that 36 percent of car accident deaths among teenagers between the ages of 15 and 20 involve alcohol.

Many teens and parents alike view underage drinking as a normal rite of passage that is a standard component of graduation and prom celebrations. In fact, many parents host parties at which alcohol is served to teenagers, reasoning that if kids are going to drink anyway, they might as well be supervised.

For some families, this may be a good decision. However, study data indicates that there may be risks to this behavior. According to the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, individuals who start drinking before turning 15 are around four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who don't drink until they are 21.

In addition, the areas of the brain that normally inhibit potentially dangerous behaviors are not fully developed until age 25, according to the National Institutes of Health. This may lead to teenagers making risky decisions, such as getting behind the wheel after they have been drinking.

To help teenagers avoid a car accident or a DUI, parents are recommended to openly communicate with their children about underage drinking and drug use, fully expressing the dangers and their expectations of their teenager.

Source: Evansville Courier & Press, "Prom, graduation season accelerates dangers of underage drinking, drugs", Nichole White, 4 April 2011