Fewer teens today are drinking and driving than they were 20 years ago. Despite the decrease, teenage drinking and driving is still a national problem—alcohol-related car crashes are the number one killer of teens.

 

Teen drinking and driving dropped 54 percent between 1991 and 2011, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 1991, more than 20 percent of teens drove under the influence, while in 2011 just 10 percent were drinking and driving. Parental involvement, minimum legal drinking age, zero tolerance laws, and graduated licensing systems were cited as factors for the decrease.

 

For teens who drink and drive, the statistics aren’t just dangerous, they can be deadly. The 1 million high school teens who got behind the wheel after drinking were responsible for about 2.4 million drinking and driving episodes a month in 2011. That’s more than 28 million times a year.

 

One out of every five teen drivers involved in fatal crashes had some alcohol in their system. In fact, most of them—85 percent—had higher blood alcohol levels than the legal limit for adults.

 

Although the decrease is certainly an improvement, it’s clear many teens still need to get the message.