Study: 1 in 5 young people drink and drive

[Engineer]

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U.S. National - AP


Study: 1 in 5 Young People Drink and Drive



By LAURA MECKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - More than four million people younger under age 21 drove under the influence of drugs or alcohol last year, according to a government report released Wednesday. That's one in five of all Americans aged 16 to 20.



"That's an awful lot of kids if you think about it," said Charlene Lewis, acting director of the Office of Applied Studies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which produced the report.


The report, based on a large household survey of drug use, found a small drop in driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol between 2002 and 2003. In 2002, 22 percent drove under the influence; last year, it was 20 percent.


Just four percent of these young people reported being arrested and booked for driving under the influence in the year before they were interviewed.


The report was released Wednesday in advance of New Year's Eve in hopes of raising consciousness of the issue on a night when the risk of drinking and driving is high, federal officials said. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among young people.


The data come from face-to-face interviews in the homes of people ages 12 and up, part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. People were asked to define for themselves what driving "under the influence" of drugs or alcohol means.


Young people were most likely to drink alcohol and then drive, with 17 percent admitting this. Fourteen percent said they had driven under the influence of illicit drugs, and eight percent reported driving after consuming a combination of alcohol and drugs.


The rates were highest among people who lived in the Midwest and among those who lived outside of metro areas.


Researchers did not have data to compare the 2002-03 rates to earlier years. But a similar survey of teen behavior found that drunken driving fell steadily between 1984 and the early 1990s, as media campaigns pleaded "friends don't let friends drive drunk" and urged partygoers to choose a designated driver.


The rates remained level from 1992 to 1995 before jumping a bit in the late 1990s and then declining a little in 2003, said Lloyd Johnston, principal investigator for the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future survey of students.


"It's not nearly as serious a problem as it was in the mid '80s but it's still a serious problem," he said.


He said that his survey also found that a substantial number of teens rode in cars where drivers had been drinking, adding to the number of young people at risk.


Johnston added that while teens growing up in the 1980s were exposed to heavy media campaigns against drunken driving, that's not true for today's teens. He warned of "generational forgetting."


"Each generation has to be reeducated about the dangers of any of these behaviors," he said.

The OP has a real problem with drinking and driving, hence the topic summary. If you drink and you drive, fvck you!!! Get the fvck off the streets if you want to drink...OK!

 

[NarcoticHobo]

The solution is to lower the drinking age to 5. That way drinking doesn't carry this mysticism about it, and people will actually be careful with it as they are used to it. I mean after all if you have been using something all of your life you are most likely not going to misuse it.

 

[HalosPuma]

You mean like Olympic "hero" Michael Phelps?

 

[1EZduzit]

I drank (man times excessivley) and drove when I was young and never even came close to having an accident. It's all in applying your common sense when you are in an "altered" state. Of course, out here in the boonies it's not the same thing as driving in 4 lane traffic.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: HalosPuma
You mean like Olympic "hero" Michael Phelps?

I don't give a fvck if he drinks, but if he "DRIVES" while impared, he needs to be punished. And if anybody is killed, let's hope like hell it's only the dumbass that is drinking and not the innocent.

 

[aswedc]

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit
I drank (man times excessivley) and drove when I was young and never even came close to having an accident. It's all in applying your common sense when you are in an "altered" state. Of course, out here in the boonies it's not the same thing as driving in 4 lane traffic.

Oh BS. People who are paying attention and not drunk can often get in accidents just because of certain situations. Deer crossing the road/stopped car/black ice/flooding/agressive drivers/other impaired motorists, ect. The difference between an accident or not is milliseconds of reaction time. Its a simple fact that if you have consumed alcohol your reaction time is not as good. Drinking and driving causes accident rates to increase significantly, even if they were all "using common sense". Just because you got lucky by not being in situations requiring high reaction time doesn't prove a thing.

 

[aswedc]

Oh, and about the OP, I think its a cultural problem. Parents need to stop the BMW as a 16th birthday present thing. If every teen had to pay for the entirety of their vehicle as well as the absurd insurance costs for young drivers, you bet they'd be more careful with their driving.

 

[judasmachine]

i have to admit I've driven home drunk. i didn't hurt anyone and was scared shiatless the whole time. i'll never do it again. i was lucky. but yeah something needs to be done, but i'm not an advocate of prohibition or anything. i love my beer, i just don't drive while i'm drinking.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: aswedc

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit
I drank (man times excessivley) and drove when I was young and never even came close to having an accident. It's all in applying your common sense when you are in an "altered" state. Of course, out here in the boonies it's not the same thing as driving in 4 lane traffic.

Oh BS. People who are paying attention and not drunk can often get in accidents just because of certain situations. Deer crossing the road/stopped car/black ice/flooding/agressive drivers/other impaired motorists, ect. The difference between an accident or not is milliseconds of reaction time. Its a simple fact that if you have consumed alcohol your reaction time is not as good. Drinking and driving causes accident rates to increase significantly, even if they were all "using common sense". Just because you got lucky by not being in situations requiring high reaction time doesn't prove a thing.

That is a very narrow view. How does that millisecond translate to the real world?? If you are driving in the Indy 500, it would make a real difference, but in average driving?? I don't think so. According to your logic, then everthing that reduces or distracts your reaction time should be banned. No cell phones. No radios. Hell, you shouldn't even be carrying on a conversation while driving.

You are the one full of BS, but your so self-rightoues that you can't see it.

If the idiots would slow up when drinking instead of driving faster, they would have more time to react. Just plain old common sense. 😀

 

[nageov3t]

I did it once, when I was 22. it was last New Year's Eve... my prospects were either a) sleep on my friends' dirty floor with no pillow or blanket, or b) drive home drunk (not flat-out drunk, but I still had a good buzz on and I had been flat-out, falling-down drunk a few hours earlier).

the drive home was pretty uneventful (5 miles through city roads), but it's nothing I'd ever do again. I widely regard that incident as an act of stupid judgement. this New Year's Eve, the party is at my place, so all I need to do is stumble 25' from the living room/kitchen over to my bedroom 🙂

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I did it once, when I was 22. it was last New Year's Eve... my prospects were either a) sleep on my friends' dirty floor with no pillow or blanket, or b) drive home drunk (not flat-out drunk, but I still had a good buzz on and I had been flat-out, falling-down drunk a few hours earlier).

the drive home was pretty uneventful (5 miles through city roads), but it's nothing I'd ever do again. I widely regard that incident as an act of stupid judgement. this New Year's Eve, the party is at my place, so all I need to do is stumble 25' from the living room/kitchen over to my bedroom 🙂

It's one thing to have a couple of drinks and drive, and then it is another to be falling down drunk (or close to it) and drive. The study says "under the influence". That means 1 beer.

 

[aswedc]

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: aswedc

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit
I drank (man times excessivley) and drove when I was young and never even came close to having an accident. It's all in applying your common sense when you are in an "altered" state. Of course, out here in the boonies it's not the same thing as driving in 4 lane traffic.

Oh BS. People who are paying attention and not drunk can often get in accidents just because of certain situations. Deer crossing the road/stopped car/black ice/flooding/agressive drivers/other impaired motorists, ect. The difference between an accident or not is milliseconds of reaction time. Its a simple fact that if you have consumed alcohol your reaction time is not as good. Drinking and driving causes accident rates to increase significantly, even if they were all "using common sense". Just because you got lucky by not being in situations requiring high reaction time doesn't prove a thing.

That is a very narrow view. How does that millisecond translate to the real world?? If you are driving in the Indy 500, it would make a real difference, but in average driving?? I don't think so. According to your logic, then everthing that reduces or distracts your reaction time should be banned. No cell phones. No radios. Hell, you shouldn't even be carrying on a conversation while driving.

You are the one full of BS, but your so self-rightoues that you can't see it.

If the idiots would slow up when drinking instead of driving faster, they would have more time to react. Just plain old common sense. 😀

If you think the radio or having a conversation has anywhere near the impact as drinking you are a complete idiot.

In the past I've riden several times as a passenger when the driver was drunk or otherwise impaired. I don't associate with dumbfvcks, so they at least had the window down (for cold air), radio off, 40mph on a 65, ect. And it was still not pretty. Good enough to get by, yes. But if the car in front slammed on the breaks or any of a million other unexpected possibilities, there would have been an accident for sure.

I don't even know why I'm typing this as you seem beyond hope. Please do everyone a favor and kill yourself before you kill someone else.

/leaves thread

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: aswedc

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: aswedc

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit
I drank (man times excessivley) and drove when I was young and never even came close to having an accident. It's all in applying your common sense when you are in an "altered" state. Of course, out here in the boonies it's not the same thing as driving in 4 lane traffic.

Oh BS. People who are paying attention and not drunk can often get in accidents just because of certain situations. Deer crossing the road/stopped car/black ice/flooding/agressive drivers/other impaired motorists, ect. The difference between an accident or not is milliseconds of reaction time. Its a simple fact that if you have consumed alcohol your reaction time is not as good. Drinking and driving causes accident rates to increase significantly, even if they were all "using common sense". Just because you got lucky by not being in situations requiring high reaction time doesn't prove a thing.

That is a very narrow view. How does that millisecond translate to the real world?? If you are driving in the Indy 500, it would make a real difference, but in average driving?? I don't think so. According to your logic, then everthing that reduces or distracts your reaction time should be banned. No cell phones. No radios. Hell, you shouldn't even be carrying on a conversation while driving.

You are the one full of BS, but your so self-rightoues that you can't see it.

If the idiots would slow up when drinking instead of driving faster, they would have more time to react. Just plain old common sense. 😀

If you think the radio or having a conversation has anywhere near the impact as drinking you are a complete idiot.

In the past I've riden several times as a passenger when the driver was drunk or otherwise impaired. I don't associate with dumbfvcks, so they at least had the window down (for cold air), radio off, 40mph on a 65, ect. And it was still not pretty. Good enough to get by, yes. But if the car in front slammed on the breaks or any of a million other unexpected possibilities, there would have been an accident for sure.

I don't even know why I'm typing this as you seem beyond hope. Please do everyone a favor and kill yourself before you kill someone else.

/leaves thread

I guess common sense is a concept that is beyond your grasp. I guess that should be obvious to anyone else reading this thread, because no one with a lick of sense would ever advise anyone to kill themselves, unless they are just a total moron. 😀

How much reaction time do you lose when your looking at your cell phone or trying to find a radio station and not watching the road?

I'm a very good, safe driver and in 40 years of driving I've only had one accident. One night I hit a deer. I was having a conversation with my wife and she said something rather profound and I glanced over at her to see her facial expression. A deer ran out and I was unable to get stopped in time.

Edit:

I don't associate with dumbfvcks, so they at least had the window down (for cold air),

Any dumbfvck should know that cold air is about the worst thing you can do to try and sober yourself up. Experience is the best teacher.

 

[miketheidiot]

never driven drunk because I never drive to were I'm drinking. Problem solved, except for the long cold walk. 🙁

 

[magomago]

OR just don't drink period 😉

But 20% of my generation are idiots then.

 

[RobCur]

Originally posted by: magomago
OR just don't drink period 😉

But 20% of my generation are idiots then.

THATS RIGHT, you either drink alot or you do not at all.
Sound dumb? this is a wise man talking 🙂

 

[1EZduzit]

To drive when drunk isn't too smart. To drive after having 2 beers, which is all it takes to get a DUI, isn't any worse then then talking to someone when driving down the road or taking your eyes of the road while dialing tthe cell phone or adjusting the radio. This survey includes the people who are driving after having just one drink. I think that having two or three beers in an hour really doesn't affect your driving preformance enough to count. After that then it seems to depend on the individual, some can handle more then others and still drive with common sense.

I meet drivers on the road all the time who aren't even looking at the road when I meet them, DUHH!! I've also seen cars swerving all over the road that I thought were drunk, but when we meet I see they are talking on the cell phone or something else that is distracting them. My Aunt had a bad accident once while trying to swat a fly in the car that was bugging her. On my way to my folk's place this Christmas morning this year and a car passed me and was weaving all over the road from over the white line all the way to the edge of the road. I didn't like having someone driving like that directly in front of me so I passed her. It was a colledge age girl and she looked really tired, probably trying to get home for Christmas dinner. Maybe we should have a law against those sort of things?? I'm for one am tired of a bunch of self-rightoues people who seem to have zero tolerance for the next guy. Live and let live a little. Judge not lest ye be judged.

What this country needs is less emphasis on dollars and cents and more emphasis on plain old common sense.

 

[Engineer]

These 2 little girls (my nieces) don't have a daddy because my brother (also in photo) decided to celebrate and drive.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: Engineer
These 2 little girls (my nieces) don't have a daddy because my brother (also in photo) decided to celebrate and drive.

It's a tradgedy, no doubt, but sh1t happens. Don't get me wrong, I'm sorry for your loss, but it's called life. I'd guess your brother would have chosen to drive no matter what the law says. Did he just have 2 beers or had he been at the bar for several hours? How will a survey or a tougher DUI law have helped?

How drunk was your brother? What was his alcohol level? You didn't mention that. The only reason I'm arguing the point is because I think the DUI laws are already to stringent and surveys like this will just help the politicians make the law tougher, but that won't stop drunk people from driving if they want to. What politician is going to come out and say "I think the DUI limits are too tough"? That just won't happen. I guess I'm wasting my time arguing with you people. Either you see the point I'm trying to make or you don't. We're heading towards zero tolerance and that is BS, but the fines and increased insurance rates for messing up just once (all it takes is 2 beers in one hour) are sure appreciated by the goverments and insurance companies.

 

[raildogg]

this is so true. the number might be even higher

most of my friends drink and drive. sorry i have to post this

the other day a drunken friend of mine who was driving got pulled over by a cop, luckily it was only a citation so he'll pay $50 in court i believe. think he didnt stop at a right or something.

 

[zakee00]

im 14, and at my high school a ton of people go drinking every weekend, and im not one of them. a kid i know got a DUI, hes 16. didnt crash but he almost did.