Teen drinking and driving declines
While a shocking 11.4% of the alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by underage drinkers, a recent CDC report claims that 10% of high school drinkers report drinking and driving. Any drinking and driving is too much drinking and driving, but teen drinking and driving has fallen by more than half since 1991. Although significantly cutting drinking and driving is a laudable accomplishment, it does not indicate that these high drinkers are making more responsible choices with alcohol.
Of those teens that reported drinking and driving, a startling 85% of them said they binge drank before driving. It appears as though drinking and driving has developed a negative stigma since 1991, which makes roads safer. However, discouraging drinking and driving does not appear to be halting dangerous consumption. This level of over consumption puts teenage lives in a different type of danger. Without the opportunity to learn to make responsible choices, one can only wonder if drinking to such dangerous levels will increase?