For 28 years as a prosecuting attorney I have observed the devastation that drinking and driving has caused on our roadways. I have seen way too much heartache for families of those killed and injured, and from families of those who have caused the deaths and injuries.

In Minnesota in 2010 there were 3,743 alcohol-related crashes, which killed 131 and injured 2,485. Seventy-seven percent of the deaths occurred outside the Twin Cities metro area. Minnesota had 29,918 DWI arrests; 53 percent involved people ages 21-34; another 7 percent of those arrested were younger than 21.

Teens are only 8 percent of Minnesota’s licensed drivers but are involved in 14 percent of the crashes. That percentage increases with alcohol use, passengers, cell phone and texting. Crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths at 39 percent.

Criminal Vehicular Homicide is when you cause the death of another as a result of driving a car in a negligent manner while under the influence or while having an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. You do not have to intend to hurt or kill anyone. If convicted of CVH you will serve 48 months in prison.

When you think about it, the only difference between murder and criminal vehicular homicide is that with murder you choose your victim and with criminal vehicular homicide you choose your victim randomly. In both cases the grieving is the same and the devastation felt by the families of the victim is the same.

When I speak at schools on the topic, I tell the kids they will understand why we parents worry when they start having their own children. I tell them their generation in a way has it tougher. They live in a different age with different technology and with a different culture. Underage drinking is rampant and most kids think it is a rite of passage. Unfortunately, it appears the culture now is for kids to drink as fast as they can, as much as they can and get as drunk as they can. I tell them that although the culture has changed, what hasn’t changed and has remained constant throughout time, is that they have a brain and I encourage them to use it.

I tell them although we love our kids very much the best we can do is tell them, “we love you, wear your seatbelt and make good decisions.” The rest is up to them. I tell them, “Your parents are not responsible for you and that friend who has been drinking and says he will get you home safely isn’t responsible for you. You are responsible for you. “

I tell them that every choice has a consequence. Never drive after drinking or get in a car if the driver has been drinking. It is not worth it. You have your whole life ahead of you. Life isn’t a video game. There are no do-overs or take-backs. I encourage parents to talk with their children about the dangers of alcohol and drinking and driving, to tell them if they have been drinking and they are the driver or the person that drove them has been drinking they should call for a ride. I tell the kids parents would much rather have them call, than to have a cop walk up to the door with bad news.

I encourage parents to share this article with their children. All choices have consequences. Let’s make the right choice and separate alcohol from prom and graduation. Make prom and graduation memorable for all the right reasons.

Tom Kelly is the Wright County attorney. He graduated from Austin High School in 1975.