QUICK FACTS FROM AEP RESEARCH

Reducing Drinking and Driving

What may deter teenagers from drinking and driving?

Among 8909 high school seniors in 15 midwestern communities:

• 25% of drinkers reported driving after drinking enough alcohol to affect their driving.
• Males were more likely than females to drive after drinking.
• Binge drinkers (drinking 5 or more drinks in a row) were less likely to drive after drinking if they thought there was a good chance of facing legal consequences.

For more information order publication number:

11.6.118:
Grosvenor D, Toomey TL, Wagenaar AC. Deterrence and the adolescent drinking driver. Journal of Safety Research 1999; 30(3):187-191.

If states have stricter requirements for the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) allowed among drivers, is drinking and driving reduced?

Among 5000 teenagers surveyed before and after the youth BAC limits in their states were lowered: (1)

• The frequency of driving after drinking any alcohol declined 19%.
• The frequency of driving after drinking 5 or more drinks declined 23%.
• The amount of teenage drinking or total number of miles driven while intoxicated did not change.

When 18 states and Washington D.C. lowered their adult BAC limits from 0.10 to 0.08:

• Single-vehicle-nighttime fatal traffic crashes reduced 5%.

• Implementation laws to allow police officers to revoke drivers' licenses were associated with a further 11% reduction in single-vehicle-nighttime fatal traffic crashes.

For more information order publication number:

(1)11.6.124
Wagenaar AC, O'Malley PM, La Fond C. Lowered legal blood alcohol limits for young drivers: Effects on drinking, driving, and driving-after-drinking behaviors in 30 states. American Journal of Public Health 2001; 91(5):801-804.

(2)11.6.141
(2) Bernat DH, Dunsmuir WTM, Wagenaar AC. Effects of lowering the legal BAC to 0.08 on single-vehicle-nighttime fatal traffic crashes in 19 jurisdictions. Accident Analysis & Prevention 2004 Nov 36(6):1089-1097.