Age of Drinking Onset, Driving after Drinking, and Involvement in Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes

Hingson, Ralph, 1948-; Heeren, T.; Levenson, S.; Jamanka, A.; Voas, Robert B. · 2001 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This study investigates whether the age at which individuals begin consuming alcohol predicts their likelihood of driving after drinking and involvement in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes later in life. Motivated by the established success of Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) laws in reducing underage traffic fatalities, the research addresses a gap in knowledge regarding whether delaying drinking onset yields long-term traffic safety benefits beyond age 21, independent of alcohol dependence. The analysis utilized data from the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES), a national probability survey of 42,862 respondents aged 18 and older. The study focused on 27,081 current and former drinkers. Researchers assessed self-reported outcomes regarding ever driving after drinking too much and ever being in a crash due to drinking, as well as occurrences within the past year. Statistical analyses employed logistic regression to control for potential confounders, including demographics, smoking, illicit drug use, and DSM-IV diagnoses of alcohol dependence. A subset analysis specifically examined respondents who had never been diagnosed with alcohol dependence. The results demonstrated a strong inverse relationship between drinking onset age and risky driving behaviors. Individuals who began drinking before age 14 were significantly more likely to report driving after drinking and crash involvement compared to those who started at age 21 or older. Specifically, those starting before age 14 were 3.4 times more likely to have ever driven after drinking and 4.1 times more likely to have ever been in an alcohol-related crash. These associations persisted even after adjusting for alcohol dependence and other behavioral factors. Notably, among respondents who were never alcohol dependent, those who started drinking before age 21 remained significantly more likely to report crash involvement than those who started at 21 or older. The findings indicate that early onset of alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for drunk driving and alcohol-related crashes throughout the life course, independent of clinical alcohol dependence. This suggests that the traffic safety benefits of delaying drinking onset extend well beyond the legal drinking age. The authors conclude that these results support the enforcement of MLDA laws and the expansion of programs aimed at delaying the initiation of alcohol use, as early exposure appears to establish patterns of risky behavior that persist into adulthood.

Key finding

Individuals who began drinking before age 14 were 4.1 times more likely to report ever being in a motor vehicle crash because of drinking compared to those who started drinking at age 21 or older.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 42862

Provenance

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• alcohol