Hazards faced by young designated drivers: in-car risks of driving drunken passengers.
This qualitative study explored the risk in the practice of young designated drivers transporting drunken peers. Young drivers 18-29 years old in Alberta, Canada participated in 12 focus groups (N = 146). Interviews were semi-structured. A key finding is that when highly intoxicated youth are driven by a designated driver who is a peer, they are likely to behave in ways that are unsafe. Unsafe actions of drunken passengers in the vehicle include physical "rough-housing" with the driver, creating stress for the driver that leads to high risk driving situations and disrupting safe driving through nausea and in-car vomiting.
Rothe
Peter J
PJ
Centre for Health Promotion Studies and Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 4075 RTF, 8308-114 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2E1, Canada. peter.rothe@ualberta.ca
Carroll
Linda J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication; D001334:Automobile Driving; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult