Premium
Selected State Policies and Associations With Alcohol Use Behaviors and Risky Driving Behaviors Among Youth: Findings from Monitoring the Future Study
Author(s) -
CavazosRehg Patricia A.,
Housten Ashley J.,
Krauss Melissa J.,
Sowles Shaina J.,
Spitznagel Edward L.,
Chaloupka Frank J.,
Grucza Richard,
Johnston Lloyd D.,
O'Malley Patrick M.,
Bierut Laura J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13041
Subject(s) - binge drinking , injury prevention , logistic regression , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , suicide prevention , occupational safety and health , behavioral risk factor surveillance system , environmental health , youth risk behavior survey , population , psychology , driving under the influence , demography , medicine , sociology , pathology
Background Effective policies that can reduce alcohol use behaviors and impaired driving among young people at a population level are needed. Graduated driver licensing ( GDL ) laws increase the driving privileges of young novice drivers as they age and gain more driving experience. In this study, we seek to determine the effects of GDL s on risky driving behaviors of youth and to assess if GDL s have an unintended effect on underage drinking behaviors. Methods We utilized 2000 to 2013 data on 12th grade students from the Monitoring the Future ( MTF ) study, an ongoing, annual national survey (since 1975) that studies the substance use behaviors of adolescents, as well as data on GDL laws obtained via the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ( IIHS ). We conducted a series of regular logistic regression models that included fixed effects for year and state, and adjusted for demographic characteristics, school characteristics, and other state alcohol policies. Results Total weighted sample size was 129,289 12th graders. Past month alcohol use and binge drinking (i.e., ≥5 drinks on one occasion) in the past 2 weeks were 45 and 26%, respectively. Seventeen percent of respondents reported riding with a driver who drank alcohol. Nearly 12% reported driving in the past 2 weeks after drinking alcohol, and 7% reported driving after binge drinking. Over half of the students lived in a state with a “good” GDL law. The logistic regression models suggest a link between restrictive GDL policies and a reduction of alcohol use behaviors and risky driving behaviors among youth. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the effects of GDL s extend beyond driving‐related risks and into other drinking‐related behaviors that pose immediate or delayed health risks for young people. We speculate that GDL s may dictate social norms and expectations for youth risk behaviors, and should be maximized throughout the United States.