in real life. lesson learned. we hope you and your kids will walk away with some valuable information too. that's all for this edition of "dateline." i'm natalie morales. thanks for watching. i'm craig melvin. >> i'm natalie morales. >> this is "dateline." >> it might be the most dangerous part of your child's day and you're not there. when our teens are behind a wheel, how do they do? cameras in the car reveal the truth. >> this is probably illegal. >> parents will see every moment. >> that shocks me. >> maybe you would feel better if someone else were driving, but what if that person seemed to be high or drunk. >> gave myself a couple shots before this. >> you took shots? >> would your child get in the car with this guy? parents watch as our hidden

cameras catch their children's choices unfolding in real-time. >> it's an eye opener, right. >> absolutely. >> some kids will blow it. >> i really feel like crying almost. >> others will make the right choice. >> no drinking and driving. >> how do you make sure your teens make good decisions. >> parents can have a tremendous influence on their kids, much more so than they think. >> it's "dateline's" "my kid would never do that the teen driving edition." >> welcome to "dateline." i'm natalie morales. it's something we all worry about, how will our kids hand al tricky or even dangerous situation when we're not around. it's especially true when we're talking about kids and cars. think your teen is a safe driver. what about a safe passenger? would your kid ride in a car with a driver who seemed drunk? in this hour, we'll put teens to the test as moms and dads secretly look on from our watch

mobile. the results are sure to offer important driving lessons for all of us. >> it's one of the most terrifying moments in parenthood. the first time you hand over the car keys to your teen. and it's not just because teens are inexperienced. it's all the critical choices they'll have to make. like should they answer that text while driving? >> [ bleep ]. >> or put their life in the hands of a friend who's been drinking. teens face many split-second decisions that could forever change their lives. and too often they make the wrong choice. teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than older drivers. >> they are by nature risk takers. >> parenting expert michele boreba says it's not that teens don't know ber. >> they know the consequences,

but when push comes to shove, they will take the risk. >> parents can make a difference. i'm a mom myself with two young boys and like most parents i often wonder if the lessons i'm teaching my kids are getting through. am i being effective? some concerned parents are about to find out with the help of experts "dateline" will put their kids in a series of situations that could be their worst parenting nightmare or their proudest moment. we found moms and dads who agreed to let us videotape their teens as they faced those critical choices. >> very nervous. >> will they be able to resist the powerful urge to pick up their phones while driving? >> i'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. >> 10% of fatal crashes involving teenagers were caused by distracting driving. many were distracted by cell phones. it's our first test.

we'll be following four teens who only had their driver's licenses for a few months. thanks to their insurance company american family the teens have had a special camera installed in their cars called a drive cam. if they make any risky driving maneuvers like these scary scenes collected by drive cam it will be caught on tape. here a teen, busy texting swerves off the road and takes out a mailbox. will the camera catch them on their phones like this teen? >> holy [ bleep ]. or like this girl so dangerously distracted by her phone that she runs off the road. luckily no one was seriously hurt. >> as parents we have to really understand the draw to be connected to your social network. >> rusty wise for letices the

company behind drive cam says almost 50% of teens admit to texting while driving. >> the teens that says they won't talk or text on a phone has so much pressure to so that commitment is most likely going to be broken. >> we catch these kids on their phones even though they know they're being recorded. we've been collecting video from their cars for four months. now we brought the drivers and their parents to new york city to watch the video clips for the first time. parents in one road and teens in another. >> are any of you nervous about your parents' reaction? >> yeah. >> you're nervous? >> yeah. >> when we first met carissa she described herself as cautious. >> i am a very careful driver. >> and she told us using her phone while driving was out of the question. >> you can't talk on your cell phone. obviously you can't text. >> was she able to stick to that rule? her mother is counting on it. >> i'm hoping no texting and

driving. that's supposed to be one of our rules. >> her mom was in a serious accident several years ago when a driver blew through a four-way stop sign. >> the car was smashed up to right where i was sitting. if my kids would have been with me they would not be here today. >> how seriously has carissa taken all of her mother's warnings? >> mom is like red light, red light. >> in the video from inside her car. >> hi. >> yeah. >> again and again, carissa is nabbed using her phone while she's driving. a distraction that causes her to miss this light changing. she hits the brakes so hard her purse goes flying. her mother's reaction. >> just one bad decision and she could kill somebody, kill herself. >> now it's katie's turn. shes also told us she wouldn't use her phone behind the well. >> i've driven with a couple of my friends and a lot of them do text and drive or play with

their ipods but i don't plan on testing it out. >> her mom is not so sure katie has been able to stick to that. >> she's going to make mistakes. she's 16. i hope she's learned from them. >> several times katie is caught taking corners too fast while snacking at the wheel. >> i eat all the time. >> here she blows right through a stop sign. >> i don't blow through a stop -- oh. >> but what about her cell tone? how did katie do? she's not only caught changing music on her phone, but texting. here she is so busy with her phone she doesn't see the light change and has to slam on the brakes yet again. >> it's a huge distraction and definitely something we would sit down and talk about. >> we'll be gathering the parents and kids to talk about the driving clips, but first, it's the boys' turn.

what tale will their tapes tell? one is a self-proclaimed daredevil behind the wheel and the other is a professional go-cart racer. is there any chance these teens have resisted the magnetic pull of their cell phones? coming up -- >> hunter has said clearly i was smoking pot. >> he made it very clear. >> made it very clear. >> would your teen get in a car with a driver who said he was high? when "dateline" continues. oh, look... another anti-wrinkle cream in no hurry to make anything happen. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair® works in just one week. with the fastest retinol formula available. it's clinically proven to work on fine lines and wrinkles. one week? that definitely works! rapid wrinkle repair®. and for dark spots, rapid tone repair. neutrogena®. see what's possible.

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with the help of a special camera called a drive cam, we're about to see what these teen drivers have been up to behind the wheel. when we first met averages .j. y declared the camera would not catch him on the cell phone. >> i just kind of stick it in my glove box and leave it at that. >> his mom believed him. >> i know he drives fast. i don't know about distracted. he told me he hasn't used his phone. >> do you believe that? >> yeah, to a degree. >> now he and his mom who are in separate rooms are about to see how he did. it turns out a.j.'s phone is not the reason for his closest call. his aggressive driving nearly causes a three-car collision.

so is a.j.'s speed his only problem? >> oh, [ bleep ]. >> or is he also distracted by his cell phone? see for yourself. >> what yare you doing? >> he takes a turn too fast and nearly loses control of the car. all the while his phone stays glued to his ear. >> he said he didn't use his cell phone, didn't plan on using his cell phone. he said it, i believed him. now he's given me a reason not to believe him. >> our final test driver is mitch, a professional go-cart racer. >> i've been driving go-carts probably about five years. >> he also told us he doesn't use his phone when he's driving. >> someone calls me, i don't normally answer it. i feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and i wait. >> he tells his dad the same thing. >> we believe that he's not doing that because he's telling us he's not doing that. >> let's go to the tape. >> yes or no? >> a few times it's not his phone that's a distraction.

it's female passengers. >> whoa, whoa. >> yeah. >> watch here as mitch speeds into a turp. his passengers are not only not wearing shirts, no one is wearing seat belts. >> [ bleep ] for you guys. >> but does he ever pull out his cell phone some? here it is pressed against his ear while speeding through a turn. here he's on the phone and does a one-handed u-turn across double yellow lines. >> probably illegal. oh. >> but the most disturbing event comes at 3:00 in the afternoon. he falls asleep behind the wheel. >> that shocks me. i mean we were notified about that just because it was so dangerous. that could have been a head-on or the end of our kid. >> it's a lot to take in? >> from watching myself, i see things don't go as smoothly as i

think they do. it will make me more aware of what my actions do to other people. >> hey. >> there's a lot of nervous laughter as we reunite the families. everyone knows this is deadly serious. parents if you're wondering how to stop your teens from grabbing for their cell phones, first off, set rules and enforce them, says parenting expert mashl borba author of "the big book of parenting solutions". >> the proper punishment is take away the cell phone. >> but even more powerful than punishment our expert tells us is setting a good example. >> modeling is absolutely critical. they're watching us and they are copycats. pull over to the side of the road and then take the text, turn to your child and say that's how we better do it because we're safer that way. >> something these parents have taken to heart. >> i will be change something of the things i do as a driver so i can model that better for you. >> i just want to see a camera in your car and what you get.

>> for our next test we take on a danger that's killing teens on the road but many parents aren't talking about it. will these kids get in a car with a driver who says he's high on drugs? >> so you're high right now? >> it's a subject that's prompted a number of studies. when we spoke to the former united states drug czar he says the results are frightening. >> on a friday or saturday evening, about one in eight drivers is testing positive for either an illegal drug or illegal drug. >> and he says drivers, especially teen drivers, don't realize how drugs can seriously impair their skills at the wheel. >> that lack of understanding the risk and potential harm is very dangerous. >> these parents say they are aware of the dangers and know how common drug use is for teens, especially smoking pot. so they're curious to see how

their daughters will do today. >> hi, my name is sydney. >> hi, my name is sara. >> what will these girls do when they're asked to get in a car with someone they think has been smoking pot. >> of course i'm going to smoke. come on. >> we've invited these teens to a school cafeteria that's been rigged with hidden cameras. they don't know the other two kids are actors. hunter who is pretending to be high and renny, making sure the real kids believe him. >> you're high right now? >> i smoked like five minutes ago. >> let's continue. >> down the hall, the girls' moms and i will be watching them on monitors to see what their daughters will do when we hand our impaired-looking actor the keys to an suv. >> they're delicious. >> sydney's mom insists all her kids know what to do if a driver is with wasted. do not get in. >> call me and i will come and get them anywhere, any hour, doesn't matter. >> sara's mom thinks she's

taught her daughter to make smart decisions. >> i personally think that she wouldn't go. i would be very surprised if she does go. but i know you're never 100% guaranteed. i can only hope and pray she would do the right thing. >> as our test begins the moms watch intently. >> thank you all for coming today. >> the girls think they're here for a taste test. >> you'll give the foods ratings from one to five. >> chef mikele from long island gourmet has prepared six different foods for the kids to rate. >> hopefully you will enjoy all of them. bon appetite. >> as soon as the adults leave. >> i can attest this is the ultimate mun chi food. >> the actor tells the group he's been smoking pot. the girls don't know they're being recorded. >> i'm surprised none of you guys smoked before you came here. >> am i the only one that did that really? >> are you legit. >> i'm a singer, i can't smoke. >> hunter said clearly i was smoking pot. >> he made it very clear that he's high. >> now our producer comes in.

>> we're going to chef michael's restaurant. >> and tells them they're going to meet up with their parents for more taste testing. >> i need one of your to drive our production van. >> since the actor says he knows how to get to the restaurant our producer hands him the keys. >> you're going to drive. >> and this is where the real test begins. what will sara and sydney do next? >> i would love to get in her head. >> will they get in the car or as their moms predicted walk away? >> how you feeling about this, lisa? >> a little uncomfortable right now. >> they're asking, are you okay to drive? >> coming up -- this looks promising, but how will it pan out? and then -- >> gave myself a couple shots before this. >> you took shots? >> no kid would get in a car with a drunk driver, right? when "dateline" continues.

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seriously, are you legit? >> will these girls, sara and sydney, get in a car with a driver who just told them he's been smoking pot. >> you're high right now. >> yeah. i smoked like five minutes ago. >> the girls don't know he's just acting. their moms who are watching on monito monito monitors predicted they will not get in the car. they hold their breaths waiting to see. are they right? >> you're going to drive? hunter has the keys.

he's been instructing to do the driving. >> how are you feeling about this, lisa? >> little uncomfortable right now. >> the group gets up and leaves the cafeteria. there's still plenty of time for the girls to say no. >> how are you feeling about sydney? >> would love to get in her head. >> as the group walks down the hallway, the moms stare at the screen, still hopeful their daughters will turn back. they leave the school and walk straight towards the suv. what will they do now? >> oh, my god, they're going to get in. >> there they go. >> are they seriously like trusting you with their van? >> i'm very trustworthy. >> are you sure you're okay to drive. >> they're asking are you okay to drive. >> will the girls stop him before he drives away?

>> i'm an excellent stoned driver. >> oh, my god. she's still letting him go. >> i don't know. i'm a little scared about that. >> eye opener. >> very frightening actually. >> i've got goose bumps no where are you going? that's the exit. >> we call the girls back to the school. where we are waiting to speak to them. >> hi. >> how is hunter's driving. >> great. >> good. >> and he's been smoking pot? i'm natalie morales with "dateline." did you ever question if he was okay to drive. >> i didn't say it out loud. >> you got on the road, in the car with someone who was smoking pot and you may not have ever been able to come back. >> we weren't thinking it through. >> it becomes clear like with so many teens, these girls had not gotten the message when commits to drugs and driving.

>> when i think about oh, you're not okay to get on the road i kind of think about it more as drunk driving. >> if someone tells you that they've taken any type of drugs whatsoever, you have to just say, i'm not getting in a car with you. >> it turns out, just like these girls, more than 30% of teens don't realize that smoking pot impairs driving skills so parents need to step in and educate their kids, says parenting expert michele borba. she says start when they're young and keep on talking and given examples of what can go wrong. >> use their world in terms of a tv show, a wonderful news article. let's just go to the internet and let's do some searches. let's look at number of car crashes on kids on drugs. >> we're going to try the test again. >> my name is johnny. >> my name is christina. >> my name is jordan. >> we've planted joe who will

tell the group he's drinking. >> i have a nice buzz. >> and an accomplice lauren will make sure everyone believes joe is drunk. >> what's in here? >> i'll be watching along with the teen's parents and a professor at penn state and consult the to mothers against drunk driving. >> one in five males will drink and drive. >> drinking and driving kills as many as 1500 teen drivers a year. >> can't hold your licker? >> i can hold my liquor. >> we will be handing our actor the keys to the suv and these kids will have to decide whether to get in or say no. christina's mom says just this week her daughter discussed a drinking and driving scenario in her driver's ed class. >> wouldn't want them driving and at the same time she would be in a predicament. >> she still doesn't believe her daughter would get in a car with a drunk driver. >> i hope she would call me.

>> jordan's mom says her daughter knows not to get in a car with an impaired driver and has admitted to being at parties where kids are drinking. >> how does she get home then from the parties? >> i pick her up. >> so you expect in this situation she will say i'm not getting in that car. >> absolutely. i hope. >> and johnny's dad like the other parents insist he's taught his son what to do in this situation. >> my wife and i we've always just spoken, you know, kind of frank with our son. you got to be strong and just walk away. >> and he's betting that's what johnny will do here. >> i think he really will. i'm hoping. my fingers are crossed. >> while the teens rate the food. >> asian infused -- >> our actor takes every opportunity to let it sip he's been drinking. >> it's not as strong as this one, but it will do the job. >> what do you mean strong?

>> spike that punch. >> i even gave myself a couple shots before this. >> you took snoz. >> what is he saying? >> i did take a few shots before. jello shots. >> jordan is looking a little uncomfortable, right? look at her face. >> you're drunk, like actually. >> not yet. but i have as nice buzz. >> okay. >> these teens clearly think our actor has been drinking. >> are you done? now it's time for our producer to give him the keys. >> i need one of you guys to drive our vehicle. >> jordan immediately offers to drive. but our producer ignores her and turns to our actor. >> do you know where the long island gourmet is. >> yes, yes, yes. >> you are going to drive. >> okay. >> interesting. they're all laughing. >> she's looking at him. i know she knows. >> oh, my goodness. >> christina and jordan start to protest. >> i don't want to get in a car with him. >> i don't think you should be driving. >> will they continue to follow

their instincts or follow the crowd. >> oh, boy. >> oh, my god. coming up -- our actor pretends to slug vodka in front of the others. would her daughter get in his car? >> oh, my god. >> when "dateline" continues. a complete multivitamin with key nutrients plus b vitamins for heart health. your one a day is showing. hey! yeah!? i switched to geico and got more! more savings on car insurance!? they helped with homeowners, too! ok! plus motorcycle, boat and rv insurance! geico's got you covered! like a blanket! houston? you seeing this? geico. expect great savings and a whole lot more.

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i'm dara brown. the final version of the republicans' tax bill is expected to pass next week. president trump claims the cuts will benefit the middle class while critics point out the legislation would largely lower taxes for the richest americans new evacuations orders in california. more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed including hundreds of homes since the fires began earlier this month. >> now back to "dateline."

welcome back to "dateline." i'm natalie morales. it's one of the biggest threats your teen faces, driving or even riding with another teen behind the wheel. add in drugs or alcohol, and the danger only grows. would your kid get in a car with a driver who seemed drunk? the parents participating in our hidden camera experiment are about to find out. in this instance the driver is an actor just pretending to be drunk. but for their teens the risk seems very real. will they make the right choice. these three teens are facing a critical decision, one many kids are forced to make. will johnny, jordan and christina get in a car with a driver who they think is drunk. >> you're drunk, like actually. >> not yet. >> oh, my gosh. >> their parents, who have all predicted their kids won't get in the car, stare at the monitors. they all get up, but christina

and jordan are reluctant to go. >> i don't want to get in a car with him. >> i don't think you should be driving. >> as they head towards the door christina asks our produce fer joe has to drive. >> he has to drive? >> jordan makes an appeal to the group. >> i don't think he should be driving. this gives their parents hope their kids might stop before it's too late. >> we will be fine. trust me. >> if you were sober i wouldn't trust you driving. >> what? >> no offense. >> despite her protests jordan and the other teeps keep heading towards the car. with hearts racing their parents wait to see what will happen next. >> he's getting in the car. oh, boy. >> yikes. >> make you feel better -- >> she got in the passenger seat, which is even worse. >> just stunned. i did not expect that.

>> i'm disappointed. i'm actually -- i'm shaking. >> jordan is obviously worried. >> you're okay driving? >> and yet she slips off the shoulder strap, another dangerous move. >> you said you had a buzz? >> are you serious? >> you should have seen me at junior prom. >> they know he shouldn't be driving. but will they let him? it's a painful moment for their parents as they watch the suv drive off. then jordan admits with a smile she knows what she's doing is wrong. >> my mom tells me not to get in the car with a drunk guy. >> we come back to the school where the parents are waiting to greet them. >> it's the woman from "dateline." >> come on out. >> jordan's mother tells them about the real test. >> this was about children getting into cars with people that have been drinking and you

know what, you didn't pass the test. why did you get that car? >> it was scary for me to watch you because in a real situation i don't even want to imagine what could have happened. >> scary for me. >> john, you went in blindly. it was scary. >> i knew something was up. i didn't know what to do in this situation. >> disappointed. >> guys, i'm natalie. i am here as part of the "dateline" show that we're doing. i know jordan you felt uncomfortable, but yet you still got in that car. why did you do that? >> because i thought it would be okay because she told him to get in the car so i thought it was fine. >> christina, did you think he was drunk? >> i thought he was kidding around and that that was really an oversight on my part. >> we bring in our expert dr. robert, a consultant to mothers against drunk driving to speak to the teens. >> it was really hard not to get in the car. >> definitely in this situation

because we thought we were like on some sort of real taste test and we had to go somewhere. >> they say they weren't really sure he was drunk. he points out it's difficult for police officers to be certain someone is intoxicated and it's not a judgment call teens should be making. >> somebody your age, they're new at driving probably and also probably new at drinking. when you put those two things together it's higher risk. more young people die in car accidents than any other way. >> don't ever do that again. >> i won't. >> these parents are grateful this wasn't the real thing. >> okay. >> i'm so sorry. >> hope an important lesson was learned. >> it's okay. it's okay. next time. >> he says most likely what pushed the teens to get in the car was peer pressure. one more lesson for parents to be thinking about. >> i think the way the parents can address peer pressure is through having better communication skills, monitoring your kids more, being more

disapproving of risky behaviors such as drinking. >> we're going to try this again, this time we'll plant someone in the group who will resist the peer pressure and refuse to get in the car. will that make a difference? >> so you're playing the part up until the point you have to get in the car. >> yeah. at the last moment. >> this teen joe will be part of the taste testing along with our actors and real kids. >> i'm kim i'm 16. >> my name is josh, i'm 17. >> kim bia's mom says her daughter was once in a minor accident. the driver had been drinking. >> i'm hoping it's a lesson for her. >> her message about drinking and driving has been crystal clear. >> never get in a car with someone who has been drinking. i don't believe she would get into the car. >> josh's mom describes her son as a charismatic leader who will know what to do when offered a ride by a drunk driver. >> we've had the conversation, you know, a number of times. >> she says her son won't get in the car.

>> and if he does how will you feel? >> i already know that i would be very, very grateful that this is a controlled situation. >> our actor quickly tells the group he was drinking before he got here. >> bill me before this. >> what were you doing before? >> you were drinking? >> okay. >> well, i can honestly say i've never been, you know, drunk. >> really? >> yeah. >> now our actor is saying he's still drinking alcohol. remember, this is all a ruse. >> oh, my god. i didn't know alcohol -- i thought you were drinking before that. >> i was. >> oh. >> kimbia knows pretty clearly. >> now it's clear. >> we are going to go to the restaurant now. so what will they do when our producer picks our actor to drive? >> it's a black suburban parked right in front. >> with eyes glued to the monitor, their moms watch to see if their teens will stop before it's too late.

>> wow. geez. >> coming up -- >> a car alarm goes off, will it trigger alarm bells in our teens' heads? and later, this girl lost her uncle to a drunk driver. will that make a difference? >> it's clear by your daughter's reactions that they're having to make a major decision right now. >> when "dateline" continues. oh, look... another anti-wrinkle cream in no hurry to make anything happen. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair® works in just one week. with the fastest retinol formula available. it's clinically proven to work on fine lines and wrinkles. one week? that definitely works! rapid wrinkle repair®. and for dark spots, rapid tone repair. neutrogena®. see what's possible.

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so far we've watched teens making the wrong choice. >> you're okay driving? >> getting into cars driven by someone they think is impaired. >> why did you get in that car? >> our testing continues. and these moms are hoping, praying, that their kids will make the right choice. >> let's listen to see what they do. >> kimbia and josh have just been told this teen who has been bragging about drinking. >> oh, my god. i didn't know alcohol -- i thought you were drinking before that. >> will be driving them to a nearby restaurant. >> we're going to a long island gourmet. >> they all get up without hesitation. >> oh, my gosh. >> i don't think she realizes he's going to drive. i'm hoping. >> remember, at the last minute this boy joe will refuse to get in the car. in the parking lot our actor makes a beeline for the driver's

seat and accidentally sets off the alarm. our producer goes out to help them shut it off and the parents are hopeful the alarm might be a wake-up call. >> well, this gives them one more chance to think over it a little bit. >> they shut off the alarm. but don't turn back. >> we'll give them one more chance to make the right decision. >> okay. wait. joe is going to change the equation. >> he tells the group he is not getting in. >> i'll meet you guys there. i'll stay back. >> you will meet them there? >> joe has given them a way out. will anyone follow him? he walks away all alone. >> wow. geez. >> if this was a different situation, my child could be driving off to her death and i'm watching it. i really feel like crying almost. >> yeah. and it just -- it's shocking. i feel deflated.

>> i'm telling you i would have lost my money if i put a bet on it. i would have lost money. >> with heavy hearts, the moms go out to meet their children. >> did you hear when the gentleman said he was drinking before he got behind the wheel of the car? >> i thought he was joking around. >> you thought he was joking? >> we were all laughing. >> the minute someone tells you that they're drinking, you should raise yourself awareness. >> kimbia and josh let me say off the bat we're with "dateline" and your mothers put you in this situation because they love you. >> we have been given the ultimate gift today, both of our families, because this could have been a real-life situation. >> joe, the teen who didn't get in the car, knows all too well what can happen in a real life situation. >> joe actually lost his best friend in a drunk driving accident. >> yeah. >> johnny was 18 years old when he got in a car with a teen driver who was drunk. >> pretty much exactly a year ago, the same thing you did, in

the front seat, drunk driver ended up crashing and he died instantly in the crash. >> oh, my god. >> josh says he just wasn't paying attention to who was driving and didn't think it through. >> i have to pay more mind to a lot of things. i think i'm a naive individual sometimes. >> our expert who has written power of parents, mothers against drunk driving guidebook, says moms and dads need to keep an open and continuous dialog with their teens about drinking and driving. >> parents can have a tremendous influence on their kids, much more so than they think. >> so far none of our teens have made the right choice. we'll try it one more time. >> hi, i'm alex i'm 17. >> i'm nicole i'm 15. >> i'm taylor, i'm 15. >> something about our final group that might make a difference. taylor and nicole's moms don't drink at all. >> there's really no alcohol in our home at all. >> we don't condone drinking, my husband and i. >> alex's mom does something experts recommend. >> we do a lot of role play and

talk about drinking and driving. i'm curious to see what happens. >> and there's one more thing about this group that could be a game changer. >> a tragedy in nicole's family. her mother's brother killed before nicole was ever born. >> i lost my brother to a drunk driver. >> it was 1986 when her brother got in a car with a drunk driver. >> my brother was 22. he was just graduating college. >> how much did that affect you at that time in your life? >> life has never been the same and never will be ever. >> nicole's mom says she's made it clear nicole is never to get in a car with anyone who has been drinking. >> she does know this. she finds herself in a situation where maybe the designated driver is drinking she can call me anywhere, any time we will come and get her no questions asked. >> nicole's mom is not certain about what her daughter will do today. >> i hope that she doesn't go. >> and what does our expert think will happen? >> i was listening to your

interview off stage. i'm a little mixed, but statistics say they'll probably get in the car. >> let's hope the statistics are wrong in this case. >> that's what i'm hoping for. >> even though these parents are doing all the right parents are doing all the right things our expert says there's another strong factor at play here. it's something we pointed out earlier. peer pressure. >> peer pressure seems to be the most likely predictor of whether a kid's going to drink and drive. >> will peer pressure get the best of these kids? they're in the middle of taste testing while our actor joe and his accomplice lauren continue the ruse that joe's been drinking. >> i think you're hammered. >> not there yet. i still have a little bit left. >> that's what's in there? in the vitamin water? >> wow. good job. >> and when our actor talks about how he's going to get home, nicole questions him. >> you're going to drive after you just drank? >> she just asked him, are you going to drive? >> and taylor gives a warning. >> no drinking and driving.

>> so far, so good. >> the next part is the hard part, though. >> i know. i know. >> where they actually get in the car. >> i need one of you guys to drive the production van. >> when our producer hands joe the keys -- >> huh-uh. >> and then -- >> the girls have an immediate reaction. have we finally found a group of teens who will do the right thing? >> it's clear by your daughters' reactions that they're having to make a major decision right now. >> mm-hmm. >> or will they get in the car, like everyone else? >> oh, no. >> the girls walk out to the parking lot. the last few seconds to make the right choice ticking away. coming up -- >> joe, where is it? is it far? >> and then the best advice for parents trying to keep their teens safe. when "dateline" continues. with one a day men's. ♪ a complete multivitamin with key nutrients plus b vitamins for heart health. your one a day is showing.

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is it possible find a group of teens who will refuse a ride from a driver they think is drunk? nicole, alex, and taylor have just been told they will be getting in a car that this guy is driving. >> i think you're hammered. >> not there yet. i still have a little bit left. >> that's what's in there? the vitamin water? >> remember he's an actor we hired to fool the girls into believing he's drunk. their moms, who have made zero tolerance for alcohol a part of their parenting, watch to see if it's working.

>> i think it's in the spot right in front but let me just check, hold on. >> as soon as the teens are left alone, the girls start to push back. >> are we supposed to go with you? >> whoa. hold on a second. >> first of all you're a stranger. i don't know you. >> but what will they do when our producer returns? >> okay, yeah, we're ready. >> they get up and walk out of the cafeteria. >> oh, no. >> moms, how are you feeling now? >> nervous. >> not happy. >> their mothers can't believe what they're seeing. with everything they've been taught, and nicole losing her uncle to a drunk driver, these girls still head outside towards the car. but then a glimmer of hope. the girls are having second thoughts. and come up with a possible solution. >> joe, where is it? >> is it far? >> we're going to walk. >> but our accomplice tries to convince the girls there's nothing to worry about. >> it's fine. it's so close. >> it doesn't matter.

>> but taylor and nicole stand strong. >> my mom lost her brother to a car crash, to drunk driving so i'm not -- i'm not getting in the car. >> my daughter just said my mom lost her brother. >> i'm not getting in the car. bye, joe. >> they head inside to talk to our producer. >> he has -- >> he had alcohol in his vitamin water. >> at least that's what he said. >> hi girls. that's my cue to go speak to the girls. i'm natalie morales and i'm with "dateline." i tell them what's really going on. we're actually doing a report on teens and drunk driving. and you all did the right thing. how does it feel? >> good. >> good. >> good? >> now, who was the first to really step out and say, he's drunk and i'm not -- >> well, i saw that he had the -- like i knew he was drinking something because he said it. and then when she said oh, you're going to get in the car with him and go here i'm like, no i'm not. >> and you have a personal connection. >> my mom lost her brother to drunk driving accident. >> you really know what it

means. >> yeah, she told me never. so -- >> today would have been nicole's uncle's 47th birthday. >> i'm so proud of you. >> you did great. >> our expert who bet they would get in the car is happily surprised. >> i want to point out, you're the exception to the rule. a lot of people your age would get in the car. you worked together as a team. and you gave your reasons. he's been drinking. >> i'm so glad you proved us all wrong. >> me, too. >> moms, you've made a statement to parents around the country that say oh, you know, they don't listen to me, it doesn't matter. we talk a lot. it really does matter. you made a difference. your kids didn't get in the car today. >> and he says parents need to know that zero tolerance towards dripging alcohol can have an effect when it comes to their teens drinking and driving. >> the data are pretty consistent when parents let their kids drink alcohol in any amount they're more likely to engage in risky behavior like driving or riding with somebody.

>> so parents, it's important to remember, in many ways, you can make a difference if you follow a few rules. it is not enough to just say, don't drink and drive. it is not enough just to say it once. it has to be a constant mantra. number two, your relationship matters. >> whether it's drinking, drugs, or texting while driving, parents need to nurture a close relationship. but also set firm rules. be the parent, not the pal. parents who produce a child who is less likely to take the risk have a warm, positive relationship, but also make their kid accountable. you put those two parts of the formula together in your parenting style, that's the gold standard you're looking for. >> oh, i'm so glad you didn't get in that car. >> it was an anxious hour for all of the parents who participated but they would agree the takeaway is invaluable. especially the importance of setting a good example for your kids. moms and dads, that means no

texting and driving. and of course, no drinking and driving. that's all for this edition of "dateline." i'm natalie morales. thanks for watching. good morning i'm ron allen in new york at msnbc world headquarters. it's 7:00 in the east, 4:00 out west, here's what's happening. e-mail accusations. the president's transition team firing off a complaint about tens of thousands of private e-mails in the russia probe. did special counsel robert mueller cross a line? >> this is going to be one of the great gifts to the middle income people of this country that they've ever gotten for christmas. a gift or a lump of coal? the president making it clear he thinks the new tax bill is a big holiday present. this hour a closer look at what it all means for you. and 22 million dollars for what? the tax dollars