In Teens Driving Drunk
Most teen crashes occur on the weekends, when teens are too busy having fun to pay attention to their driving. Teens tend to underestimate or not recognize dangerous situations. Teens are more likely to speed, run red lights, make turns, ride with an intoxicated driver, and drive after using alcohol or drugs.
How can the answer be improved?
70% of all teenagers admit to drinking alcohol. Every 15 minutes a teenager will die due to drunk driving. 60% of all teen deaths from car accidents involve alcohol. In a national survey conducted in 2011, 24% of teens reported that within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.
To curb drunk driving, all states have “zero-tolerance” laws that apply to drivers who are under that age of 21. An DUI not only leads to legal consequences but also can negatively affect a person’s education and career opportunities.
Teenage drunk driving kills eight teens every day. In 2003, 31% of teen drivers who died in car accidents had been drinking. 40% of alcohol-related fatal car crashes involve teens.
Teens Crash Because They Are Inexperienced Drivers Contrary to popular belief, teens crash most often because they are inexperienced . They struggle judging gaps in traffic, driving the right speed for conditions and turning safely, among other things.
Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are: Males: In 2016, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers ages 16 to 19 was two times that of their female counterparts. 3; Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers.
NHTSA’s Teen Driving site contains information on States’ driver licensing requirements for teens as well as ideas and resources to help you—the parents—lay down the ground rules with your aspiring driver before you hand over the car keys.
Driving under the influence (DUI), also known as driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, or impaired driving is the crime of driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs, including those prescribed by physicians.
Drinking and driving can be deadly, especially for teens. Fewer teens are drinking and driving, but this risky behavior is still a major threat. Drinking and driving among teens in high college has gone down by 54% since 1991. Still, high college teens drive after drinking about 2.4 million times a month.
