REDUCING OTTAWA AREA DRUNK DRIVING TASKFORCE (ROADD)

ROADD is a subcommittee of the OSAP Coalition. Our mission is to address the harm due to high-risk alcohol use and impaired driving. We do this through addressing youth access to alcohol, impaired driving, and high-risk drinking by young adults. ROADD includes membership from our local universities, Arbor Circle, the Ottawa County Department of Public Health, and most local law enforcement agencies in Ottawa County. ROADD meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month and rotates locations.

SAFE PARTIES

Our Safe Parties initiative helps parents and young adults with ideas and tips for how to prevent underage drinking and reduce risk and liability when hosting a party.

Did you know that you can be legally held responsible if minors are caught drinking alcohol on your property, regardless of who provided the alcohol? The law assumes that if you own or otherwise control the property, you knew or should have known that minors were drinking on that property. Depending on the investigation, this can include youth drinking at your house or apartment even if you are not home.

A social gathering isn’t always a large party – in fact, it can be as few as two people!

Learn more about the law Safe parties for parents Safe parties for young adults

PARENTS: Prevent underage drinking

Be aware of factors that may signal a teen’s desire to experiment:

  • Significant changes in personality
  • Challenges coping with stress or mental health
  • Family history of alcoholism
  • Significant changes in friends
  • Being secretive
  • Activities/social transitions that may involve alcohol

Provide supervision when youth are at your house:

  • Make sure youth know your expectations ahead of time.
  • Make your presence known. Walk through the area where youth are gathered and interact with all of them.
  • Monitor what is being brough into your home and check contents of soda bottles/glasses, and packages carried in by guests.
  • Require an RSVP from parents before hosting youth at your home to be sure they know expectations, details, pick up times, exchange contact information, etc.
  • Make expectations and consequences clear to all guests: no alcohol will be provided to minors and police will be contacted if minors are found to be in possession of alcohol.

young adults: ways to host a safe party

Alcohol & Drugs:

  • Monitor your alcohol. You paid for it. You don’t have to give it away.
  • Don’t allow drugs. Drugs and alcohol don’t mix.
  • It’s okay to cut people off. Cutting people off before they are too drunk is a way to make sure everyone has a safe and fun time at your party. It also helps make sure everyone gets home okay.
  • It’s okay to say NO. You can always say no. No matter what.
  • Enlist sober designees. They can help make sure the party doesn’t get out of hand by monitoring alcohol and driving friends home if they need a ride.
  • Call for help if needed.
  • Serving size and alcohol volume matters.
  • Blacking out isn’t always obvious.
  • Getting sick is the first sign of alcohol poisoning.
  • Understanding healthy drinking and how to calculate your Blood Alcohol Level is important in hosting a safe party.
  • Do not supply alcohol to minors: it’s against the law.

Party Location:

  • Keep it small. Consider having only one entrance and exit to your party. This will make it easier to control who attends and what is brought in.
  • Your house, your responsibility. You are responsible for what happens in your home.

Party Attendees:

  • Don’t post your party online. Make sure your event is invitation only and avoid using social media to announce your event to prevent uninvited guests. If you do post online, make sure the security settings are turn on private.
  • Know your guests. If there will be a large number of guests, or if you don’t know all the attendees, use wristbands or other methods to clearly identify minors. Enlist friends or family members to help monitor the party.
  • Say no to strangers. If you don’t know the person, you don’t have to let them into your house.
  • Know their age. Don’t provide alcohol to minors.
  • Don’t let them inside if you don’t want them at your house. If they are already drunk and obnoxious, have your sober designee help someone already intoxicated find a safe ride home.
  • Slow down. You have all night. Blacking out will end the party quickly.
  • Stay with friends.