Houston Teens Drinking and Driving

In 2011, 1 in 10 students ages 16 and older reported driving after drinking during the past 30 days, according to a CDC report. And most of those had engaged in binge drinking, defined as having five or more alcoholic drinks in a couple of hours.

That translates to about 950,000 high school students and about 2.4 million episodes of drinking and driving in the 30 days before they answered a survey.

Houston Teens DWI on Decline

The report is published in the CDC’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Drivers ages 16 to 20 are 17 times more likely to die in a crash if they have a blood alcohol level of .08% than if they had not been drinking, the researchers found.

What Can Parent Do to Prevent DWI with Teens?

Parents can also provide teens with a safe way to get home if they have been drinking and driving.

Parents can also consider drawing up a parent-and-teen driving agreement, in which the teen agrees to such terms as obeying the speed limit and contacting the parents if he or she needs a ride home.