HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA April 28, 2002

DEADLY DANCE. Prom night contains all the ingredients of a driving disaster - speeding, alcohol, young drivers and multiple teen-age passengers on the road late at night.

Prom season is a great time for parents and teen drivers to remember that Virginia law prohibits:

17-year-olds from carrying more than three nonfamily passengers younger than 18.

16-year-olds from carrying more than one nonfamily passenger younger than 18.

16-year-olds and 17-year-olds from driving between midnight and 4 a.m. - except when traveling to and from work, when accompanied by a parent or guardian, during an emergency, or when driving to and from a school-sponsored activity.

Proms and official after-prom parties count as school-sponsored activities, said Vince Burgess, assistant commissioner for transportation safety for the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The penalties for young drivers are tough. Drivers younger than 19 convicted of a safety-belt violation or any moving violation that causes demerit points - speeding and failing to stop, for example - must attend driver-improvement classes. If they get a second conviction before they turn 18, their license is suspended for 90 days.

Virginia has zero tolerance for drinking and driving for people younger than 21. If you're under 21 and caught driving with any alcohol in your system - even if it's less than the legal limit for driving under the influence - your license will be revoked for at least six months, Burgess said.

The "I Promise Program" encourages parents and their children to sign contracts promising to drive safe and sober. It also suggests the following tips for parents:

Limit the number of passengers that you allow in your teen's car. The risk of a crash goes up exponentially for each passenger added.

Be a good role model. Don't drink and drive. Always wear your seat belt.

Don't allow your teen to drive after midnight. Act as a chauffeur or arrange for a taxi.

Check the brakes and brake fluid in your teen's car. Teenagers tend to speed. Brakes can mean the difference between life and death.

For more information about the "I Promise Program," visit www.ipromiseprogram.com