Citation

Hames LN, Petrucelli E. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1981; 1981: 1414-1428.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper discusses a two-part experimental project that the American Medical Association and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators are jointly carrying out in the hope of making some impact upon the teenage drinking and driving problem. We started by testing the hypothesis that the best means of changing the behavioural patterns of teenagers in this regard was to "tie-in" an educational effort at the time of, or as near as possible to, the examination the teenager takes to obtain a driver's licence. The teenager usually wants that licence very intensively and probably would absorb knowledge most effectively at that period. Accordingly, we illustrated in a very short film a half dozen items of alcohol knowledge we felt a teenager must know if he is to make informed decisions. The project involved 5000 New York, Oklahoma and Wisconsin high school students who were just completing their driver education training and were about to take their driver's examination. All were tested, immediately and again four months later. We believe the results confirmed our hypothesis. Using those results, we reviewed copies of all 50 state drivers' manuals. All contained general information about alcohol and driving, but in only 33 was the material considered to have any educational impact for teenagers, and of these, only 7 were considered to be reasonably effective for a teenage reader. Educational materials, including visuals, are being developed for provision to the states. (TRRL)