Parents exert more influence than peers.

• Position: MADD - Brief article

Parents need to talk with their children about the dangers of underage drinking and encourage them never to ride with a drinking driver, stresses Colleen Church, who, as president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Irving, Texas, is promoting the organization's Power of Parents Program.

Studies have shown that parents, not their peers, have the greatest influence over kids' decisions about alcohol. "As our children's biggest influence and role model, ifs our responsibility to show and tell. Ifs our place to not only talk about positive actions, but to set the example with our own actions. This is an opportunity for parents to start these ongoing conversations," says Church.

MADD and Nationwide Insurance data reveals that 80% of parents surveyed have talked with their children about alcohol and the dangers of riding with a drinking driver. However, the survey indicates that parents might not know their actions play a large role influencing their children. Forty-three percent confess that they have had a drink or two at dinner and then driven their children home in the past year. In...