Tips On Enjoying Prom, Courtesy of the Melrose Police Department

On Wednesday, Melrose Police issued a list of safety tips for parents and students to guide them to an enjoyable Melrose High School Senior Prom Night on May 26 in Boston.

Really, most of the department’s advice applies about as well during the rest of the year.

Here’s a small sample of police’s guidance for prom-bound teens, plus some editorializing from the Patch editor:

• Don’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or have sex if you don’t want to because someone else says it’s a good idea. In fact, peer pressure is usually a horrible reason to do or not do pretty much anything. It’s best to get out of the habit of hive-minded, approval-seeking behavior early, before it starts dictating your decisions during adulthood.
• Wear a seatbelt. Teenage drivers are notoriously accident prone. For that matter, so are plenty of adults who will also be on the road that night.
• Don’t drink and drive, and don’t accept a ride from anyone who’s been drinking. Duh.
• Don’t let your date abuse you, physically, verbally, or sexually, and let someone you can call know about your after-prom plans in case the situation gets unpleasant and you need a quick exit strategy.

More can be found on the Melrose Police blog post here.

Image credit: Melrose PD

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