Drink driving and traffic accidents in young people

The relationship between drink driving behaviours and rates of traffic accidents was analysed in a birth cohort of 907 New Zealand young people studied to the age of 21. Drink driving was significantly (P < 0.0001) related to active traffic accidents in which the driver's behaviour contributed to the accident but was not related to passive accidents in which driver behaviours did not contribute to the accident (P > 0.15). Those engaging in high rates of drink driving had rates of active traffic accidents that were 2.6 times higher than those who did not drink and drive. Further analysis suggested that much of this association was explained by confounding factors (and notably driver behaviour) that were associated with both drink driving and accident rates. After adjustment for confounding factors, those engaging in high rates of drink driving had rates of active accidents that were 1.5 (P < 0.01) times higher than those who did not drink and drive. It is concluded that although the study findings support the view that the regulation of drink driving behaviour amongst young people is likely to contribute to a reduction in traffic accidents, to be fully effective attempts at regulation of drink driving also need to be accompanied by a similar level of investment in regulating other aspects of risky or illegal driving behaviour amongst young people.