Public Health Final Project

Underage Drinking Driving While Intoxicated Context of Problem Underage drinking is the cause of more deaths than any other drugs combined in the United States. As a result nearly a third of all drunk driving deaths occur to minors. The risk drastically increases to 17 times more likely for a motor vehicle death when an underage drinker is behind the wheel. Okhifun, 2019 Problem Statement Alcohol consumption negatively impacts high schoolers resulting in accidents and deaths while on the road. Risk Factors Determinants Protective Factors strong genetic predisposition Genetic predisposition No genetic predisposition High Stress Stress Levels Low Stress Drinking in the Household Household Environment Little to no Drinking in the Household Uneducated Education Higher Education Strategies Interventions Graduated Driver License Build a more intense course in order for one to get their driver license Raise the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) Stronger id checks at places that sell alcohol Increased Parental Involvement Free education courses on preventing underage drinking Zero Tolerance Laws Sobriety checkpoints School Structured Curriculum Include informative and serious sessions on the dangers of underage drinking and driving Implementation Raising the price and tax that surrounds alcohol will ultimately slow down alcohol falling into the hands of underage people. Three ways to evaluate this intervention is as followed: - Compare statistics of alcohol related driving accidents that include underage people before and after the price change Anonymously survey students in high school about their drinking habits and see if the number gets lower after the price change Survey individuals to see if their awareness of underage drinking and driving has gone up and if they are willing to step in and stop any such actions from occurring. So What, Now What - Since the beginning of the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), people under the age of 21 that have died while drinking and driving has decreased 83%. - - 5,215 in 1982 to 906 in 2019. (Responsibility, 2022) Helping underage individuals make wiser choices related to alcohol can translate over to other parts of their lives which can lead to a more responsible future. - In the overall topic of drinking and driving, there was a new law passed in 2020 that requires vehicle manufacturers to implement new technology by 2026-2027. These include: - “Driving performance monitoring systems that monitor the vehicle movement using cameras and sensors that are outside the vehicle, such as lane departure warning and attention assist;” (MADD, 2022) - “Systems that monitor the driver’s head and eyes, typically using a camera or other sensors that are inside the vehicle;” (MADD, 2022) - “Alcohol detection systems that use sensors to determine whether a driver is drunk and then prevent the vehicle from moving.” (MADD, 2022) References Auto technology that stops drunk driving now required by law. MADD. (2022, July 18). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://madd.org/press-release/auto-technology-that-stops-drunk-driving-now-required-by-law/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Teen drinking and driving. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/teendrinkinganddriving/index.html Drunk driving fatality statistics. Responsibility.org. (2022, March 2). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.responsibility.org/alcohol-statistics/drunk-driving-statistics/drunk-driving-fatality-statistics/#:~:text=Underage%20Drunk%20 Driving%20Fatalities%20%E2%80%93%20National,1982%20to%20906%20in%202019. Okhifun, D. G. (2019, August 8). Underage drinking: Dangers and effects of alcohol abuse in teens. AlcoRehab.org. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from https://alcorehab.org/alcoholism/underage-drinking/ The State of Queensland; Queensland Health;“The Effects of Alcohol on the Adolescent Brain.” Queensland Health, CorporateName=The State of Queensland; Jurisdiction=Queensland, 20 Apr. 2017, https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/the-effects-of-alcohol-on-the-adolescent-brain.