KISSIMMEE — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the country.

This is why one St. Cloud non-profit is trying to prevent more tragedies by talking to students during Alcohol Awareness Month.

Roscoe Walters started drinking at 14 years old. Throughout years of continued alcoholism he lost his home, his wife and at one point became homeless. “I drank for 52 years and I graduated to a liter of spiced rum and a case of beer every day for the last two years,” Walters explained.

At 67-years-old, Walters was finally able to overcome his addiction through the help of The Transition House. April is alcohol awareness month and for the first time, this nonprofit is partnering up with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. The goal is to keep the younger generation informed.

“One-hundred eighty-nine thousand teenagers went to an emergency room last year as a result of being in an alcohol-related automobile incident. And that’s a statistic I personally think is much too high,” said Thomas Griffin, the Chief Executive Officer for The Transition House.

April is not only Alcohol Awareness Month, it's also prom month for many Central Florida counties, including Osceola County.

Braxton Jones is a senior at Osceola High School. He also happens to be part of the football team.

“Sadly we had one a couple of years back with one of our players, not during prom but he was under the influence with drinking and we did lose him and that really struck us,” Jones said.

Walters said that in the end he wants teenagers to listen to his story and learn from his mistakes.

“I would say do not listen to your peer pressure. They want to drink? Fine, that’s their business,” he added. “But please stay away from it. Look at me, I am one of the fortunate ones.”

This year is the 25th anniversary for The Transition House. The group says treatment is available locally for those dealing with substance abuse.

For more information, visit The Transition House online.