A new CDC study on teen drinking and driving reported:
- Teens were responsible for approximately 2.4 million episodes of drinking and driving a month in 2011; some engaged in the dangerous behavior more than once a month.
- High school boys ages 18 and older were most likely to drink and drive (18 percent), while 16-year-old high school girls were least likely (6 percent).
- Eighty-five percent of teens in high school who reported drinking and driving in the past month also reported binge drinking. For YRBS, binge drinking means five or more drinks during a short period of time.
The CDC notes that many efforts are helping to reduce teen drinking and driving. Successful strategies include minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws, zero tolerance laws, and graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems. Parents play a crucial role in keeping their teens safe on the road, and preventing teen drinking and driving accidents. They can model safe driving behavior and set and enforce the “rules of the road” by completing a parent-teen driving agreement with their teens. Safe driving habits for teens include never drinking and driving, following state GDL laws, and wearing a seat belt on every trip.
The study can be found at the following link: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm61e1002a1.htm?s_cid=mm61e1002a1_w