How much can you drink before driving? The influence of riding with impaired adults and peers on the driving behaviors of urban and rural youth.
OBJECTIVE
Following an ecological model to specify risks for impaired driving, we assessed the effects of youth attitudes about substance use and their experiences of riding in cars with adults and peers who drove after drinking alcohol or smoking cannabis on the youths' own driving after drinking or using cannabis.


METHODS
Participants were 2594 students in grades 10 and 12 (mean age = 16 years and 2 months; 50% girls) from public high schools in urban (994) and rural communities (1600) on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada; 1192 of these were new drivers with restricted licenses. Self-report data were collected in anonymous questionnaires. Regression analyses were used to assess the independent and interacting effects of youth attitudes about substance use and their experiences of riding in cars with adults or peers who drove after drinking alcohol or smoking cannabis on youth driving.


RESULTS
Youth driving risk behaviors were associated independently with their own high-risk attitudes and experiences riding with peers who drink alcohol or use cannabis and drive. However, risks were highest for the youth who also report more frequent experiences of riding with adults who drink alcohol or use cannabis and drive.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention efforts should be expanded to include the adults and peers who are role models for new drivers and to increase youths' awareness of their own responsibilities for their personal safety as passengers.
Leadbeater
Bonnie J
BJ
Centre for Youth and Society, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. bleadbea@uvic.ca
Foran
Kathleen
K
Grove-White
Aidan
A
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D001955:British Columbia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012423:Rural Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health