Are Gen Z and Millennial College Students Drinking and Driving Less Than Other Demographics?

With ride-sharing services such as Lyft and Uber, kids in college now appear to be the safest generation when it comes to drunk driving. With the touch of a phone, a driver can show up within minutes to take someone home if they’ve been drinking too much.

But is there any truth to that statement? Are young people more responsible when it comes to drinking and driving?

Impaired driving is still an issue among any age demographic, but drinking overall has decreased for college students. At least, it appears to be that way from the Foundation of Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR), with data by Monitoring the Future, a national study on drug use that included college students.

Data Shows Alcohol Consumption Is a Historic Low Among College Students

The study shows that alcohol consumption among college students has gone down in the last decade from 2016. In addition, heavy drinking decreased 27 percent in comparison to 1980’s numbers. The highest rate of drunk driving currently is among 26 to 29-year-olds.

However, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), drunk driving overall has declined from 2002 to 2014.

Is Drinking and Driving Still an Issue for College Students?

Although drinking appears to be lower among younger generations, it doesn’t change the fact that some continue to drive drunk.

Almost 19 percent of drunk driving accidents are caused by college-age people, and is still a high percentage of unnecessary tragedy in the U.S.

Some measures are being taken to stop drunk driving among any age group. One of them includes an Ignition Interlock, a vehicle breathalyzer. For college students, parents are even opting for a voluntary device for their children, which ensures they are not driving drunk in their vehicle.

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