JEFFERSON CITY – At the end of this year’s first quarter, teen fatalities in Missouri climbed 63% over this time last year.

In the last three years, 24 fatal crashes and 101 serious injury crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver under the age of 21.

The results of underage drinking are devastating – 26 people perished and 132 sustained serious injuries, based on Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety information.

Law enforcement will be on the lookout for underage impaired driving through Sunday, May 9, with a high-visibility enforcement campaign. The campaign – based on information from the Missouri Department of Transportation – will coincide with statewide prom and graduation dates, which are often when teens and young adults consume alcohol.

“It’s all about making good decisions,” Jon Nelson said.

Nelson chairs the executive committee of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, a statewide organization dedicated to reducing traffic deaths on the state’s roads.

“The futures of today’s teens can be quickly shattered by the consequences of one moment – one careless decision to get behind the wheel while impaired,” Nelson said.

Missouri has a Zero Tolerance Law stating that, if someone under 21 has been driving with any level of alcohol consumed, then the diver license will be suspended. Overall consequences of drunk driving include jail time, the loss of driver licenses or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. The driver also will pay money for higher insurance rates, attorney fees and court costs.

Missouri’s new strategic highway safety plan – Show-Me Zero, Driving Missouri Toward Safer Roads – identifies four focus areas to help turn the tide against teen drinking and driving: Occupant protection in the form of seatbelts, car seats and helmets; distracted driving; speeding; and impaired driving.

For more information about the Show-Me Zero plan, and to check out the coalition’s new video promoting the plan, visit www.savemolives.com.