Underage drinking & driving remains a deadly combo

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States, and alcohol is a major contributor — 1 in 6 teenagers involved in a fatal crash in 2016 had been drinking. 

During this year's National Teen Driver Safety Week, AAA is highlighting newly released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that show driving drunk is a serious problem among teen drivers.

Teen crashes by the numbers

Drivers age 15-19 have the highest rate of crashes, both per licensed driver and per mile, of any age group. In 2015, more than 900,000 teen drivers were involved in police-reported crashes, resulting in about 359,000 injuries and 3,516 deaths. In 2016, the number of fatalities rose to 3,599, led by Texas (339 fatalities), California (319), and Florida (288). Of those killed in teen-driver related crashes in 2016, 39% were teen drivers, 22% were the passengers of teen drivers, 28% were occupants of another vehicle, and 11% were bystanders. More than a third of the deaths (36%) occurred between 9 p.m.-5 a.m., the most dangerous time for teen driving.

Despite the prevalence of underage drinking, teens don't have a markedly different attitude toward drunken driving than adults: According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's 2016 Traffic Safety Culture Index study, about 67% of teens age 16-19 agree that drunk driving is "a very serious threat," as compared with 69% of adults age 35-55. But while 86% of teens also say driving after having too much to drink is "completely unacceptable," 7% admit to having done so anyway in the previous year, and 4% admit to doing it regularly.

What parents can do

• Provide a framework for your teen that guides their decision-making and behaviors, even when you're not around: More than 80% of teens say their parents are the leading influence in their decision about underage drinking.

• Don't assume it's too early to discuss drinking and driving; remember that the average teen has consumed alcohol by 14.

• Commit to teaching by example, making good driving decisions and avoid high-risk situations.

• Enroll your teen in a high-quality driver education program. 

• Enforce your state's Graduated Driver Licensing rules at home. These often prohibit young drivers from driving late at night or with other underage passengers. Learn about GDL laws.

• Make and sign a parent-teen driving agreement that includes a prohibition on drinking and driving, and consequences for doing so. Learn more about parent-teen driving agreements.