For the last 10 years, HenkinSchultz has been working with Prairie View Prevention Services and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety to raise awareness about underage drinking and driving with a comprehensive marketing campaign that sends a strong message, <strong>Parents Matter</strong>. This year, the campaign was updated with a new look and more relevant resources for parents, and was launched this month – just as teens begin to celebrate proms and graduation. Based on national data indicating that when parents discuss underage drinking, house parties, drinking and driving, 80 percent of their teens listen and cite their influence as valuable. HenkinSchultz worked with Prairie View Prevention to send the message that Parents Matter and encourage them to “Have the Talk.” Parents Matter is an educational resource tool for parents, children and communities available through the Parents Matter website, TV and radio commercials, digital media, brochures, print ads, letters and flyers with talking points for parents, and information packets distributed through South Dakota school districts Based on site analytics, state officials indicated <strong>program awareness was up, with only 8 percent of teens</strong> living in “non-permissive” households admitting to teen drinking. The most important performance statistic is the overall impact of the Parents Matter campaign – the <strong>drop in the number of teenagers killed in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents</strong> from 13 in 2006, to nine in 2007, five in 2008 finally, only three last year. The Parents Matter campaign continues to evolve. And we’re proud to be a part of it. We encourage you to use the new materials available on the just-updated <a href=”http://safesouthdakota.com/” target=”_blank”>Parents Matter website</a> if you are the parent of a teen. Or share it with other parents so they have the tools they need to “Have the Talk.”