Drinking behaviors in young adults: the potential role of designated driver and safe ride home programs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the drinking and driving habits reported in people aged 21-34 years.


METHODS
Random digit dialing survey.


METHODS
Seattle and Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon.


METHODS
917 individuals aged 21-34 years, who had a valid driver's license, who had consumed at least one alcoholic drink in the last year and who lived in Seattle, Spokane or Portland.


METHODS
Driving after drinking, use of a designated driver and serving as a designated driver.


RESULTS
62% drank alcohol at least weekly, and 31% binged at least once per month in the last year. 21% drove after drinking too much in the last month. Two-thirds of individuals reported being a designated driver at least once in the last year, and in most instances, this had been decided before the group went out for the evening. Over three-quarters of individuals reported that they drank less than they usually do the last time they were a designated driver. When using a designated driver, almost half of the individuals reported drinking more on that occasion than usual, with approximately half of those having at least three more drinks than usual.


CONCLUSIONS
These results point to the need for interventions to combat the problem of drunk driving and prevent its associated morbidity and mortality. Rigorous evaluation of the effect of designated driver and safe ride home programs are needed.
Rivara
Frederick P
FP
Departments of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington DC, USA. fpr@u.washington.edu
Relyea-Chew
Annemarie
A
Wang
Jin
J
Riley
Suzette
S
Boisvert
Deanne
D
Gomez
Tony
T
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012449:Safety; D040241:Social Marketing; D014861:Washington