In 1984, Friday Night Live began in Sacramento, California, as a response to the number of young people dying and being injured in alcohol-related car crashes. The name Friday Night Live came about because most youth alcohol-related car crashes occur on Friday nights between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Over the years, Friday Night Live has evolved from an anti-drinking and driving program to one focusing on environmental prevention1 and youth development strategies. The Friday Night Live program is currently implemented in 56 of the 58 counties in California.
1 Environmental prevention focuses on the settings that contribute to or cause problems related to alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and violence. Activities are designed to address these settings in order to reduce problems. Click here for more information about what environmental prevention is and how young people are using it to combat issues in their schools and communities.