A recent study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) found that alcohol-related deaths, heavy drinking episodes, and drunk driving have all been on the rise among 18- to 24-year-olds over the past decade. The conclusion comes after the NIAAA examined information mined from government databases and national surveys on alcohol use.
The proportion of college students in that age group who were killed in accidents related to alcohol-use increased 3 percent per 100,000--from 1,440 in 1998 to 1,825 in 2005.
Over the same time period, the rates of students reporting binge drinking and driving while under the influence increased 7% and 9%, respectively.
The lead author of the study, Ralph Hingson, Sc.D, M.P.H., director of the NIAAA’s division of epidemiology and prevention research, told ScienceDaily that “During this same time period, our knowledge of what works as far as intervention in this age group has increased. That knowledge isn’t yet being put into place.”
He added, “The fact that we’re not making progress is very concerning.”
The study indicates that legislation aimed at prevention may have a real impact. In 2000, only 17 U.S. states had set .08 as a blood-alcohol level upper limit for driving. By 2005, all 50 had adopted that figure. Between 2002 and 2005, there was a 2 percent drop in drunk driving incidents.
In addition, the biggest increases were seen among 21- to 24-year-olds, and not 18- to 20-year-olds, possibly indicating the success of state laws enforcing the legal drinking age.
The findings were published in a special supplemental issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, which was entirely devoted to studying alcohol abuse in college students.
Fourteen papers in the issue reported on projects related to the NIAAA’s Rapid Response to College Drinking Problems program, which was developed in 2004 to find solutions to combat college binge drinking.
Other studies indicated, for instance, that, although school-sponsored alcohol control measures can be successful in reducing incidences of alcohol-related injury and death, the proportion of students who were victims of alcohol-related injuries, assaults, or rape was unchanged between party schools and more controlled environments.
The researchers advise that a mix of programs, ranging from counseling for students with drinking problems to community-level efforts, is the best way to address the problem.
Hingson told ScienceDaily, “The more levels at which we try to intervene, the more effective we’ll be. Colleges and communities need to work together, because neither can do it alone.”
Our Take
Drunk driving is a huge problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-related car crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and injure somebody every 2 minutes. Underage drinkers account for 14 percent of drunk driving deaths, and people aged 25-34 account for 26 percent. Needless to say, something needs to be done.
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