The occasion when a graduate receives a degree is a defining moment.
The graduation season also is the springboard for a public safety campaign - "One Moment Can Define You."
The campaign is designed to discourage underage impaired driving. "The thought of becoming anything you want to be can be instantly overshadowed by the consequences of one moment, one bad decision to drink and drive," said Bill Whitfield, chairman of the executive committee of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.
Lincoln University's graduation is Saturday, followed by three area high school graduations - Jefferson City and Blair Oaks high schools on Sunday and Helias High School on May 24.
In addition, a second public safety campaign - "Click It or Ticket" - will be in effect from Monday through May 31.
The dual emphasis is as simple as "do" buckle up and "don't" drink and drive.
Public safety officials continue to repeat the message because ignoring it can be both dangerous and deadly.
In the last three years, according to the coalition, impaired drivers under age 21 were involved in 174 injury accidents and 54 fatal crashes. Those defining moments resulted in 257 people suffering serious injuries and 64 deaths.
Regarding seat belt use, six out of 10 vehicle occupants killed in 2014 Missouri traffic crashes were unrestrained, the coalition reports. When worn correctly, seat belts can reduce the risk of death for front seat occupants of passenger cars by 45 percent.
"Sixty-three percent of Missouri vehicle occupant fatalities (drivers and passenger) since the first of the year were unbuckled," Whitfield said. "Seat belts clearly save lives. But, unfortunately, too many folks still need a tough reminder, so law enforcement will be buckling down on those not buckling up."
Graduation is a celebration of what a person has achieved to prepare for what lies ahead. It is a defining moment when graduates stand on the threshold of possibilities.
Don't allow one wrong decision to steal a future.