The Sobering Facts of Teen Drinking and Driving

Did you know that the amount of teens who drink and drive has decreased drastically, but there is still more that we can do to stop it from happening.

Recent studies show that teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash. 

*High school students aged 16 years and older who, when surveyed, said they had driven a vehicle one or more times during the past 30 days when they had been drinking alcohol.*

Fewer teens are drinking and driving, but this risky behaviour is still a major threat.

•  Drinking and driving among teens in high school has gone down by 54% since 1991. Still, high school teens drive after drinking about 2.4 million times a month.

•  85% of teens in high school who report drinking and driving in the past month also say they binge drank. In the survey, binge drinking was defined as having 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a couple of hours.

•  1 in 5 teen drivers involved in fatal crashes had some alcohol in their system in 2010. Most of these drivers (81%) had BACs* higher than the legal limit for adults.

*Blood alcohol concentration. The legal limit is a breath alcohol content of 0.24mg per 1,000ml, or a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml.

What Can Be Done

Communities can

• Increase awareness among teens and parents by getting involved with non-profit organisations such as NICRO.

• Strengthen enforcement of existing policies, such as minimum legal drinking age and zero tolerance laws.

Paediatricians, NICRO and other health professionals can

• Test teens for risky behaviours, such as:

- Using alcohol, drugs or other dangerous substances

- Driving after alcohol or drug use

- Riding with a driver who has been using alcohol or drugs

• Inform parents and teens about the risks of drinking and driving.

• Encourage parents of new teen drivers to set and enforce the "rules of the road" and consider tools like parent-teen driving agreements.

• Remind parents to lead by example as safe drivers, starting even before their child is old enough to drive.

Teens can

• Be smart and choose to never drink and drive.

• Refuse to ride in a car with any driver who has been drinking.

• Know and follow the laws.

• Follow the rules of the road.

• Wear a seat belt on every trip, no matter how short.

• Obey speed limits.

• NEVER use a cell phone or text while driving.

Parents can

• Understand that most teens who drink only do it to get drunk and have fun.

• Recognize the dangers of teen drinking and driving and that teen drivers are at much greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol than adult drivers.

• Provide teens with a safe way to get home (such as picking them up or paying for a cab) if their driver has been drinking.

• Model safe driving behaviour.

All around the world teens can get a driver's license, some even as young as 15 can get one! And even though these drivers cannot buy alcohol or drink it until a certain age, they are and it is creating some shocking drunk driving statistics!

Why the Teenage Brain is Vulnerable to Addiction

The brain is still growing and developing during the teen years, and some of the brain's functions form at different rates than others.

We all know that teens thrive on taking risks and they often don't realise that their actions have consequences. Experimenting with alcohol and drugs is one of the risk they often take during the time their brains are changing.

Teens are more likely to take drugs because they see that they are accepted by their friends, they do not stop to think about the negative impact.

Teens are more likely to perceive social benefits of drug use (such as being accepted among peers or feeling more social) than they are to evaluate the negative effects. If you’re concerned about substance abuse in the life of a teen you know, get in touch with NICRO now for help and support.

Why Substance Abuse is Damaging to the Brain

The teen years are important because they shape how they will turn out as an adult, so it is vital to be healthy during these years. Drug abuse can negatively impact the brain in a way that affects growth and development in later years.

Substance abuse affects teen brain development by:

• Interfering with neurotransmitters and damaging connections within the brain
• Reducing the ability to experience pleasure
• Creating problems with memory
• Causing missed opportunities during a period of heightened learning potential
• Ingraining expectations of unhealthy habits into brain circuitry
• Inhibiting development of perceptual abilities

How Drinking Affects Teens

Binge drinking is a serious problem in the teen community. Studies show that when a teen drinks their brain responds differently compared to when an adult drinks.

In addition to addiction risks, alcohol poses a serious risk to the physical health and growth of teens. Studies have shown that excessive drinking in teens can result in:

• Delayed puberty and/or negative effects on the reproductive system
• Lower bone mineral density
• Higher levels of liver enzymes that indicate liver damage
• Shorter limbs and reduced growth potential

Social and Professional Risks of Teen Substance Abuse

In addition to the physical risks of teen drinking and drug abuse, there are many other consequences that could haunt teens well into adulthood. Because substance abuse can muddy reasoning and encourage rash decisions, there are many side effects of substance abuse that go far beyond the biological and physiological aspects.

Some of these include:

• Criminal records
• Car accidents
• Assaults
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Unplanned pregnancies
• Wasted academic opportunities
• Late start in chosen career path
• Damaged relationships with friends and family

Get Help!

If you know a teen who is showing dangerous signs of drug or alcohol abuse, OR you feel that you need help, you can change your life or someone else's right now! Get in touch with NICRO today!

The Impact of Underage Drinking

Underage drinking is when anyone under the legal age consumes alcohol in any way or form. Besides the fact that it is against the law, there are many reasons why underage people should never drink.

Drinking too much is a major cause of death from injuries among young people. Every year, underage drinking results in thousands of deaths. The deaths could be from - motorbike accidents, homicides, suicides, drownings, falls and drownings.

Drinking too much can harm the growing brain. Did you know that the brain doesn't stop developing until it is into the mid-20s? The part of the brain that is developed to control decision-making doesn't mature completely until after the teen years, so this could harm a teenager's ability to see reason and make good decisions.

Drinking too much can affect the body in many ways. Alcohol isn't all fun and games, some of the horrifying effects of alcohol range from hangovers and alcohol poisoning to death.

Drinking too much can lead to other problems. These may include bad marks in school, run-ins with the law, and drug use.

Drinking too much affects how well a young person judges risk and makes sound decisions. For example, after heavy drinking, a teen may see nothing wrong with driving their car at high speeds while drinking a beer, but before drinking, the teen can clearly see the danger involved.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

Underage drinking - a deadly habit

Eight people were tragically killed and 10 more injured in a tavern in Makaza, Khayelitsha in June 2015 when a metal staicase collapsed. The most shocking part of this story? Most were underage!

After the Makaza tavern incident, the frightening truth was revealed about underage drinking in South Africa. However, has this incident really changed our youths behaviour towards drinking alcohol?

A recent study done by the Wits' School of Public Health showed that 12% of young people start drinking at the tender age of 13, and even before!

Statistics also showed that binge drinking has become a norm and is steadily increasing amoungst teen girls.

So, why do teenagers continue to use alcohol?

Underage drinking can be caused by a variety of reasons, lets take a look at the three most common reasons:

• Boredom & New Friends

Some teenagers have trouble concentrating on school work and finding genuine hobbies. They crave taking risks and don't want to be alone. So, alcohol can be used to keep them busy and look cool in-front of their friends.

• Lack of Confidence

Some teens may try to get drunk before going to a party to give them the confidence to do things that they would otherwise not do.

• Rebellion

Alcohol is the drug of choice for teenagers because it frees or allows them to behave aggressively. This aggressive behaviour can be a display of rebelliousness and rejection of their parents and rules.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.