Driving practices, risk-taking motivations, and alcohol use among adolescent drivers: a pilot study

To explore risk-taking motivations, driving practices, and alcohol use in rural adolescent drivers.

Descriptive correlational study, that used three self-administered questionnaires: Risk Taking Questionnaire, Driving Practices Questionnaire, and Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test.

Test instruments were administered to 23 adolescent drivers, aged 16 to 18 years, recruited by school guidance counselors.

Risky driving practices were associated with alcohol use (r = 0.73) and greater risk-taking motivations (r = 0.75). The mean score on the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (4.23) reflected alcoholic tendencies. Male gender was moderately associated with risky driving practice (r = 0.54).

Drinking alcohol and risky driving may represent a broader risk-taking syndrome. In identifying injury-susceptible individuals, gender may be less useful than identification of driving practices. Injury alone may an indicator of risk-taking behavior, but when injury is combined with alcohol use the index of suspicion increases. Emergency nurses can screen injured adolescents for risk-taking motivations and discuss injury history and perceived injury susceptibility. Awareness is the first step in initiating self-protective measures.