Don't drink, grads cautioned

With high school graduations just around the corner, several state and Salt Lake City officials Wednesday made a plea to both parents and students not to let graduates drink and drive.

Earlier this month, the Salt Lake City School District mailed out 6,000 letters to parents talking about the dangers of underage drinking and encouraging parents to keep a close eye on their graduate's festivities.

At the top of each letter was a picture of JJ Tabish and the crushed SUV he was riding in on Oct. 8, 2002. Tabish and an 18-year-old friend had been drinking alcohol provided by a 35-year-old man. The other teen lost control of the SUV while traveling nearly 100 mph down Big Cottonwood Canyon.

The vehicle rolled, killing both teens.

JJ's mother, Norma Tabish, said the lives of her and her family were "exploded by a grenade called alcohol."

She asked other teens to re-evaluate what they considered "fun" by binge drinking.

"This is not fun. Burying JJ was not fun," she said.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said extra officers will be on the street looking for DUIs and patrolling convenience stores more closely looking for minors trying to obtain alcohol.

But the area police can't monitor is people's own homes. He encouraged parents and the older brothers and sisters of graduating seniors to keep alcohol out of reach. He advised parents to take such steps as locking their liquor cabinets.

The letter sent out by the school district offered other tips to parents such as:

• Do not rent hotel rooms for graduation parties.

• Do not serve alcohol at a party you're hosting.

• Make sure you know your teen's plans for the night.

According to city and state officials, 65 percent of teens who say they drink said they get alcohol from their parents, siblings or older friends.

But 67 percent of teens also say the biggest influence for them not to drink comes from their parents, according to the state.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com