Page 168 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

DRinKinG AnD DRiVinG AMonG ADoLESCEnTS n 135

19-year-old drivers had a least one sober driver, nygaard, Waiters, Grube, and Keefe
passenger in the car. out of 16,694 alcohol- (2003) found that parents, friends, and
related crashes, approximately 50% of the peers influence a decision to get involved in D
fatalities were drunk drivers and 17% of the drinking–driving situations, no peer pres-
fatalities were passengers in the car (national sure to drive after drinking or to get into
highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car with a drinking driver was reported,
2005). Youth who are involved with drinking and convincing drinkers not to drive is dif-
peers are more likely to ride with a drink- ficult. in a study on adolescents’ propensity
ing driver; however, riding with a drinking to intervene among 2,697 5th- to 12th-grade
driver does not lead to drinking and driv- students, girls were more likely to say they
ing (Yu & Shacket, 1999). in a study of 4,380 would talk to a friend about drunkenness
respondents, passengers of drinking drivers and would take a friend’s keys than boys
were more than eight times more likely to be (Flanagan, Elek-Fisk, & Gallay, 2004).
14 to 18 years of age. Persons 16 to 20 years Situations and locations associated with
of age consume more alcohol before driv- riding with a drinking driver include out-
ing and have one or more passengers with door settings, cars, restaurants, homes of
them when they drive after drinking com- friends, and other social activities (Farrow,
pared with all other age groups (hingson & 1987; Gibbons, Wylie, & Echterling, 1986;
Winter, 2003). in an observational study of Walker et al., 2005). Riding with a drinking
471 teen drivers on 13 roadway sites around driver is related to attitudes, peer influence,
10 public schools, there was one or more pas- and having an accessible ride (Davey, Davey,
senger present in 239 of the cars, and youths & obst, 2005; Gibbons, Wylie, Echterling,
drove faster with shorter headways than 1986; Grube & Voas, 1996). Factors such as
general traffic. The presence of a male pas- accessible transportation and presence of
senger resulted in greater speed and shorter others who disapprove of drunk driving
headways (Simons-Morton, Lerner, & Singer, influence drinking and driving. Among
2005). Smith, Kennison, Gamble, and Loudin youth, there is a positive correlation between
(2004) in a qualitative study on intervening as associating with drinking peers and riding
a passenger in drinking and driving queried with a drinking driver (Grube & Voas 1996;
52 youths about drinking–driving situations Labouvie & Pinsky, 2001; Yu & Shacket,
and interventions. The findings of the study 1999).
included the following drinking–driving intervention studies among youth using
situations: the participants were entangled video media have been focused on education
with a drinking driver who was determined to avoid drinking and driving and riding
to drive, the participants were endangered with a drinking driver. Collins and Cellucci
while riding in a car with a drinking driver, (1991) examined an alcohol education and
and the participants were stranded because media component among 52 11th- and 12th-
they did not get in the car with a drinking grade students. Knowledge on drinking and
driver and had no one to turn to for a ride. driving improved, and there was no effect on
interventions described by the participants attitudes or alcohol involvement. in a study
were to persuade, to interfere, to plan ahead, focusing on drinking and driving preven-
and to threaten. tion, Kuthy, Grap, and henderson (1995) pre-
Youth passengers offer potential for sented 274 adolescents with a 20-minute slide
exerting influence on drinking drivers and show of graphic pictures of severely injured
for taking responsibility to stop a drinker victims of drinking–driving accidents. There
from driving (Assailly, 2004). in a telephone was no difference in the reported driving
interview with 44 adolescents who had either behaviors between the immediate postpro-
driven while drunk or rode with a drinking gram and a 1-month interval. A 25-minute