A new national study shows parents have a different view when it comes to talking about alcohol use. Ralph Blackman is the President of the Century Council. The survey found 74-percent of parents said they spoke to their kids, but only 24-percent of the kids said they’d talked with parents.
Blackman says the survey shows parents need to work harder at communicating with teens. He says teens say the information on underage drinking should come from parents or their schools.
He says Iowa parents and kids appear to do a better job of communicating than some in other states as the number of alcohol-related fatalities involving Iowa kids has gone down by one third.
Blackman says there are advantages to being a smaller rural state, as parents tend to be more involved with their kids.
The Century Council is a non-profit, anti-drunk driving agency that’s funded by distillers.