The spring break tragedy in Panama City has horrified parents everywhere and should send a strong message to teenagers and young adults.  

According to the Associated Press, three college students on spring break were among those seriously wounded in a Saturday morning shooting there.

Reports indicate there were other firearm related calls and other incidents of dangerous behavior during the weekend at Panama City where spring breakers from all over the country have converged.

However, Panama City is not the only place where tragic things happen during spring break.

In fact, most spring break destinations have become tragedies waiting to happen.

Drugs, alcohol and firearms can be a deadly combination.

Some young people have chosen to use their spring break from college to do community service or even mission trips.

However, those groups of young people, though increasing, are still the minority.

Parents cannot afford to be naive.

In most cases, they should assume that if their college-aged children are going to go to a spring break destination, they are going to party.

That is why they need to have candid conversations.

Those conversations need to include the dangers of wild party environments, drinking and driving and illicit drug use, not just during spring break, but all the time.

The high school prom season is not far off and sadly, that special night for teenagers turns into tragedy too often.

One support program being promoted by the AAA auto club is called PROMwise and is designed to help protect teens and other motorists from prom through graduation season.

The program encourages teenage drivers and their parents to have the conversation regarding underage drinking and impaired driving.

An inordinate number of teenage impaired driving accidents occur during this time of year.

A part of the AAA PROMwise program is a signed agreement between youths and their parents that states  that if the young driver needs assistance getting home safely he can call his parents for a safe ride home and not risk an arrest or accident.

As a partner in the program, AAA is agreeing to assist the parents without charging a fee.

AAA explains that as part of PROMwise, the parent picks up the stranded teen, calls 1-800-AAA-HELP, and AAA tows home the family vehicle, free of charge, whether or not they are AAA members.

The teenager is asking to make these promises ahead of time:

• I promise not to drink alcohol or take drugs.

• I promise not to drive impaired.

• I promise not to let my friends drive impaired.

• I promise my parents I will get home safely.

The program is available through AAA in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Whether it is this program, a program encouraged through the school system or simply a candid conversation among family members, it is important for parents and young people alike to take the potential dangers seriously and to be realistic about the possibilities.