WATCH: Don't Let This Be Your Prom Memory

You’ve got your dress. You’ve rented your tuxedo. Flowers are ordered.

The excitement is building -- prom. Graduation isn’t far behind.

But what should be the happiest time of the year for many teenagers all too often turns into tragedy, because of a deadly mistake behind the wheel, many times the result of alcohol or, increasingly, texting.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), In 2013, the latest year for which data are available, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death among 13- to 19-year-olds in the United States. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.

The months from April through July see some of the highest teenage traffic fatalities of the entire year; in 2013, 1,366 of 2,524 teens, or 54 percent, who died in motor vehicle crashes were killed during those months.

Alcohol increases the risk. While the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the number of teens who drive after drinking has decreased, the risk -- especially when they believe they are only “buzzed” -- is substantially higher, because of the combination of the alcohol and their inexperience behind the wheel.

In Ocean County, impaired drivers are responsible for about a third of the deaths occurring on its roads each year. In 2013 Ocean County had 51 fatalities, the second-highest number in the state, while there were 46 in 2014.

With this in mind, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced the continuation of the office’s annual countywide DWI checkpoint program, regionalizing and supplementing local DWI enforcement. The program will also conduct DWI enforcement patrols throughout the county.

“The start of prom season and the added volume of summer shore traffic calls for increased vigilance by law enforcement, and that will be the focus over the coming months to keep motorists safe,” Coronato said. “We ask that drivers do their part by driving responsibly and making smart choices behind the wheel every day of the year.”

Part of that responsibility lies with parents, however, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Too often, the source of alcohol for teenagers is their parents.

“Parents have to be really responsible,” he said. “By providing alcohol to teens, it almost condones it (teenage drinking).”

Teens have a tendency to think they are invincible and that nothing bad will happen, he said.

“People -- parents and teens -- need to understand the dangers of alcohol and its use,” Della Fave said. “It can happen to you if you go down that road.”

Many schools have implemented zero tolerance policies toward alcohol at proms; some even administer Breathalyzer tests and turn students away who have consumed alcohol beforehand, he said.

“It’s already a very special day. Enjoy it for what it is, without the alcohol,” Della Fave said. “And wait until you get where you’re going to send those messages.”

The prosecutor’s office has produced this video -- one in its “Right Turns” series -- to emphasize the impact that a wrong decision can have. It stars students from Brick Township High School, but it could apply to any school in any town. Watch it, share it with your teen.

“It’s a night that should be celebrated as a tremendous memory,” Della Fave said.

Don’t let it turn into a tragedy.