Drugs and driving by American high school seniors, 2001-2006.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to report trends from 2001 to 2006 in the percentage of all high school seniors who drive after using marijuana, other illicit drugs, or alcohol or who are exposed as passengers to such behaviors. A second objective is to examine demographic and psychosocial correlates of these behaviors.


METHODS
The data were obtained from the Monitoring the Future study, in which nationally representative samples of high school seniors have been surveyed annually since 1975.


RESULTS
In 2006, 30% of high school seniors reported exposure to a drugged or drinking driver in the past 2 weeks, down from 35% in 2001. Exposure was demonstrated to be widespread as defined by demographic characteristics (population density, region of the country, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and family structure). Individual lifestyle factors (religiosity, grade point average, truancy, frequency of evenings out for fun, and hours of work) showed considerable association with the outcome behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
Impaired driving by youth remains a problem needing serious attention despite some progress in recent years.
O'Malley
Patrick M
PM
University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Survey Research Center, Room 2320, Post Office Box 1248, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1248, USA. pomalley@umich.edu
Johnston
Lloyd D
LD
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology