Citation

Hingson R, Heeren T, Levenson S, Jamanka A, Voas RB. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 2000; 2000: -p..

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to assess whether earlier drinking onset relates to drunk driving and alcohol related crash involvement over the life course. A national survey asked 42,862 respondents the age they started drinking, whether they drove after drinking too much, and were in motor vehicle accidents because of their drinking. The earlier the age respondents started drinking, the more likely they were to report driving after drinking too much and being in a motor vehicle crash because of their drinking even after adjusting for current/ever diagnosis of alcohol dependence and other characteristics and behaviors associated with the age respondents started drinking. Traffic safety benefits of delaying drinking may extend well beyond the legal drinking age of 21.