What Are the Statistics of Teen Drunk Driving?
During their teenage years, many teens are unsure of how to handle alcohol, and this can lead to an increase in the number of teens who drink and drive. Fortunately, there are some statistics about teen drunk driving that can help parents to keep their teens safe.
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One in five teens who have been in an accident has alcohol in their system, and males are twice as likely to be in a car crash than females. In addition, teens who are under the influence of alcohol are more likely to have fatal crashes than sober adults.
In 2010, a teen driving under the influence was involved in a fatal accident about one per hour. This is a scary statistic, especially when considering that the rate of teen drivers has been falling over the past two decades. It is also important to note that alcohol involvement in crashes is higher on weekends than during the week.
In addition, the rate of teen drinking and driving has declined significantly over the last twenty years. The percentage of teens who drink and drive has decreased by 54 percent. In 1991, approximately half of high school students were drinking and driving. Now, only ten percent of teenagers are doing so. Educating teens about the dangers of drinking and driving can reduce the number of teens who are impaired when they get behind the wheel.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism considers underage drinking a public health problem. Several factors contribute to teen drunk driving accidents, and these can include poor decision-making skills and a lack of experience behind the wheel. A teen who sees his or her parents drink and drive can begin to normalize the behavior. Another factor is peer pressure. A teen who is pushed into drinking and driving may be convinced that he or she can handle it.
According to the CDC, teens are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as speeding, while they are young. They are less likely to wear seat belts and are less experienced behind the wheel than older drivers. They are also more likely to drive when they are stressed, which can cause them to drink earlier.
The most common type of crash that young drivers (16 to 21 years old) experience is hitting a fixed object. Teens who are drunk at the time of the crash are 17 times more likely to die in a crash than a nondrinking teen. This is even more true if the teen has a blood alcohol concentration of.08 or higher.
The rate of teen drunk driving has been decreasing dramatically in the last two decades, but there are still thousands of deaths caused by drunk driving each year. There are also penalties for drinking and driving that have proven to be effective. The best way to protect a teen from the dangers of drinking and driving is to educate them about the laws and penalties associated with it. Taking a driver’s education course online can help a teen brush up on their driving knowledge.