Daily HealthBeat Tip

Young and DUI

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A new study finds that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is disturbingly common. The report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says about a third of 21- to 25-year-olds have been on the roads DUI in the past year. SAMHSA's administrator, Charles Curie, says this works out to about 30.7 million drivers. And of course it doesn't just suddenly end when people turn 26:

"People seem to drink and use drugs and drive less as they age, but the dangerous behavior continues a long time." (seven seconds)

Curie says almost a quarter of 26- to-34-year-olds were DUI. He says the rates didn't sink to single digits until people were over 65, and almost three and one half percent of them were driving while impaired. He says we need to confront drug and alcohol use honestly and directly.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September 20, 2005

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