Continuity of drunk and drugged driving behaviors four years post-college

Abstract

Background Driving under the influence of alcohol is a leading cause of injury and premature death among young adults, and college-educated individuals are at particularly high risk. Less is known about driving under the influence of other drugs, which is on the rise. Method This study describes prospective seven-year trends in alcohol and other drug (AOD)-involved driving among a young-adult sample beginning with their second year of college (i.e., Years 2–8), and documents the extent of continuity in such behaviors across time. Originally recruited as incoming first-year students at one large public university, participants (n=1,194) were interviewed annually about how frequently they drove while drunk/intoxicated (DWI), after drinking any alcohol (DAD), and/or while under the influence of other drugs (DD). Follow-up rates were high (>75% annually). Results Among participants with access to drive a car, annual prevalence peaked in Year 4 (modal age 21) for both DWI (24.3%wt) and DD (19.1%wt) and declined significantly thereafter through Year 8 (both ps<.05). DAD was far more prevalent than DWI or DD, increasing from 40.5%wt in Year 2 to 66.9%wt in Year 5, and plateauing thereafter. Among marijuana-using participants, likelihood of DD was consistently greater than the likelihood of DWI among Heavy Episodic and Light-to-Moderate drinkers, and it declined significantly during Years 5–8 (p<.05). Conclusion Post-college declines in heavy drinking and DWI prevalence were encouraging but did not necessarily translate to reductions in likelihood of engaging in DWI, depending on drinking pattern. College-educated individuals represent an important target for AOD-involved driving prevention.

Trajectories of Driving after Drinking among Marijuana-Using Youth in the Emergency Department: Substance Use, Mental Health, and Peer and Parental Influences

“…While this may simply reflect regression to the mean, in a separate analysis of the FYI cohort examining dual trajectories of mental health and alcohol use we found that the highest-risk drinking group also had a linear diminution in risky drinking behavior over the two-year study period (Goldstick et al, 2018), suggesting that "aging out" of high-risk behaviors may also be a factor. Alternatively, among 2 nd -year college students, Calderia et al identified declines in driving while specifically intoxicated/drunk or drugged-but not driving after drinking generally-suggesting "maturing" effects of particularly high risk behavior (Caldeira et al, 2017). Regardless, these findings-especially given the persistently high driving after drinking behaviors among the HDAD group at 24 months-support the ED's potential as a site for interventions to prevent intoxicated driving, and may inform their timing, targeting, and duration.…”

“…Previously published repeated measures surveys of youth driving after drinking have provided insights into the contour of these behavioral trajectories, suggesting that youth who drive after drinking are highly likely to continue doing so. In an 8-year longitudinal study of a sample recruited as undergraduates, DAD increased significantly during the college years, with a plateau around modal age 22; further, more than 80% of those reporting DAD persisted with this behavior from preceding years (Caldeira et al, 2017). In another longitudinal undergraduate survey, driving after drinking frequency peaked at ages 22-23, with a 72% relative increase in the two weeks after respondents' 21 st birthdays (Fromme, Wetherill, & Neal, 2010).…”

“…Improved characterization of youth DAD trajectories would better inform the timing and duration of behavioral and other interventions, especially in high-risk subgroups. Better understanding the longitudinal trajectories of DAD and their baseline predictors may reveal potential targets for behavioral change that can account for their severity and regularity (Caldeira et al, 2017).…”

Do Brief Alcohol Interventions Reduce Driving After Drinking Among College Students? A Two-step Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data

“…, 2017 ). A recent 7-year longitudinal study of incoming college students suggests that driving after drinking may be even more prevalent ( Caldeira et al. , 2017 ).…”

“…After excluding students without access to a car, Caldeira and colleagues found that the prevalence of driving after drinking peaked at age 22 (66.9%) without any clear declines through age 24. Furthermore, driving after drinking persisted from year to year (83.9–89.1%) for 7 years, indicating that 8 or 9 out of 10 young adults who drive after drinking in a given year do so again in the subsequent years ( Caldeira et al. , 2017 ).…”