(November 2, 2007) -- “I won’t let my child drive because she might follow the acts of Paris Hilton,” said Mahtab Monshi, parent of a Clark student. Monshi, who won’t allow her daughter to drive until “she’s old enough to make the right decisions,” fears that her daughter might think drinking and driving is cool due to celebrities like the infamous Paris Hilton. Parents seem to be more afraid of celebrities’ influences on driving than students. The question arises, are California teens influenced by crazy celebrity drivers?

Many A-list celebrities-Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Britney Spears, and more recently Kiefer Sutherland-have been in the limelight for their reckless accidents. These accidents contribute to the over six million accidents per year that take place in the United States, 41% of which are DUI related.

Recently, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new law concerning California drivers who drink and drive. The new law states that traffic accidents relating to driving under the influence that cause death can be considered second-degree murder, a felony.

Most of these reckless celebrities who get into accidents are idols of the teen driving population. The media’s focus on celebrities’ DUI incidents don’t necessarily influence teens, but rather make them more aware. Junior Ani Khachatoorians, who received her license this past May, said, “Celebrities don’t influence my driving; their stupid drinking and driving accidents actually make me more aware of my driving habits.”

Celebrities are often accused of influencing the habits of their fans, but when it comes to driving, they cause more awareness. However, there are also teenagers who think celebrities do have substantial influence on drivers. Junior Meghedi Essia Gholian has not yet received her license, but is a frequent passenger of teenage drivers. “I always see my friends doing things similar to celebrities, like drinking and driving,” she said. Gholian almost lost a close friend due to drunk driving.

Many organizations that fight against Drinking and Driving, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), spread awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. MADD, established in 1980, believes it’s “possible for our nation to eliminate the tragedy of drunk driving.”

The consequences of drinking and driving are now quite harsh. The recent law might be influencing drivers, especially the teenage population, just as celebrities influence them. The new law also includes a component of signing an extra form when someone receives their license, indicating they have been notified of the fact that they can be charged for second-degree murder in a DUI related accident.