Teen Drinking and Driving – A Dangerous Mix

Car crashes—the #1 killer of teens—take about 3,000 young lives every year. As a parent, you should know that the main cause of teen crashes is driver inexperience. All new drivers—even high academic achievers and “good kids”—are more likely than experienced drivers to be involved in a fatal crash. It’s a fact.
Teen drivers are three times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal crash. Drinking any alcohol greatly increases this risk for teens.

• An average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 48 minutes in 2017. (NHTSA)

• High School students drive intoxicated 2.4 million times each month. (CDC)
• Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% than when they have not been drinking. (CDC)
• Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with BAC of .08 or higher). (NHTSA) 

As a parent, you have the greatest influence over your teen’s behavior. In fact, leading experts believe parents play a key role in preventing teen car crashes and deaths. Here’s what you can do:

• Understand that most teens who drink do so to get drunk.
• Recognize the dangers of teen drinking and driving and that teen drivers are at much greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol than adult drivers.
• Provide teens with a safe way to get home (such as picking them up or paying for a cab) if their driver has been drinking.
• Model safe driving behavior.
• Consider tools like parent-teen driving agreements to set and enforce the “rules of the road” for new drivers. Safe driving habits for teens include the following: never drink and drive; follow state Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws; wear a seat belt on every trip; limit nighttime driving; set a limit on the number of teen passengers; never use a cell phone or text while driving; and obey speed limits.

The good news is that you can make a difference by getting involved with your teen’s driving. Learn about the most dangerous driving situations for your young driver—and how to avoid them. Get your copy of CDC’s parent-teen driving agreement and learn more about safe teen driving at www.cdc.gov/ParentsAreTheKey.
Take the first step: talk with your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and about staying safe behind the wheel. Then, keep the conversation going. For more information and tips on how to talk with your kids about drugs and alcohol visit our www.sabineprevents.com
(Source: CDC, NHTSA)