More than One in 10 Teen Drivers Report Driving Under the Influence on New Year’s Eve
Targeted News Service |
With approximately 13 million licensed teenage drivers in the U.S, it's disturbing that more than one in ten (12 percent) report driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs on
"There are approximately 3,000 teenage driving-related deaths a year, a third of which involve alcohol," says
According to 2012 survey findings, parents have become more accepting of alcohol usage by their teenage children compared to 2010 and 2011 data. Despite more than 150 cities or counties and 24 states adopting laws which hold social hosts liable for serving alcohol to minors, nearly half (47 percent) of teens are allowed by their parents to go to parties where alcohol is served and 15 percent say they are allowed to host parties with alcohol. Additionally, 37 percent say they are allowed to drink when their parents are present and 29 percent report that they are allowed to drink unsupervised.
See table: http://sadd.org/pdf/Teen_Driving-NYE_Press_Release-FINAL_121912.pdf
"Many adults have a 'been there, done that' mentality when it comes to the issue of impaired driving among teens. Yet, research points out that a majority of their children know that this is a timely and important issue," said
Starting the Conversation
The good news is that teens know when to speak up. Eighty-seven percent of surveyed teens will ask a driver under the influence of alcohol to refrain from driving, demonstrating that teens understand the negative consequences of unsafe driving and aren't afraid to ask drivers to stop their risky behavior. Equally important, 92 percent of teen drivers say they would stop driving under the influence of alcohol if asked by a passenger, indicating there is even more opportunity for teens to encourage safe behaviors among their friends.
"The best thing a parent can do is have an open and ongoing dialogue with their children about drinking and driving," says Melton. "Talk through the dangers of reckless decisions and help your kids understand that the conversation isn't punitive, it's preventative. I would also encourage all parents and teens to sign the Parent/Teen Driving Contract as a first step toward lifelong safe driving habits, and for parents to make sure to model responsible behavior themselves." The Parent/Teen Driving Contract is available at www.LibertyMutual.com/TeenDriving and offers families a good place to begin this important conversation about setting expectations for safe driving. Click here (http://www.sadd.org/pdf/TeenDrivingInfographic_NYE_FINAL.3_withLogos.pdf) to view the related infographic summarizing these findings.
About the Study
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