Teen Drinking and Driving Cut in Half

U.S. teens are half as likely to drink and drive as their counterparts did 20 years ago, a new study finds. Researchers looked at national surveys of teens from 1991 through 2011. Teens ages 16 or older were asked if they had driven after drinking alcohol in the last month. In 2011, about 1 out of 10 teens said yes. In the 1991 survey, more than 22% said they drank and drove. But even the current results added up to about 1 million teens who drink and drive. About 85% of those who drank and drove were also binge drinkers. This means they had at least 5 drinks within a couple of hours. Experts think the lower rates are related to several things. Since 1991, all states have adopted “zero tolerance” laws. These laws set the blood alcohol limit at or near zero for teen drivers. Many states also have graduated licensing laws.