The link between early onset drinking and early onset alcohol-impaired driving in young males.
BACKGROUND
Young drivers represent a disproportionate number of the individuals involved in alcohol-impaired driving. Although there is a known association between drinking and alcohol-impaired driving in young drivers, the link between early onset drinking and early onset alcohol-impaired driving has not been explored.


OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to assess this link along with potentially confounding factors.


METHODS
The assessment used a proportional hazards model with data collected from the Buffalo Longitudinal Study of Young Men, a population-based sample of 625 males at aged 16-19.


RESULTS
Controlling for the effects of potentially relevant confounds, the early onset of drinking was the most influential factor in predicting the early onset of alcohol-impaired driving. Race and the early onset of other forms of delinquency also played a significant role in the early onset of alcohol-impaired driving.


CONCLUSIONS
Preventing an early start of drinking among adolescents may be the most critical factor to address in preventing an early start of alcohol-impaired driving.
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Saint Francis University , Loretto, PA .
Lening
L
Zhang
William F
WF
Wieczorek
John W
JW
Welte
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult