Illinois observes National Impaired Driving
Prevention Month
In 2012 1 in 6 high school seniors admitted that they
drove under the influence of alcohol on at least one occasion
Send a link to a friend
[December 15, 2014]
SPRINGFIELD,
Illinois – For the fifth consecutive year, Illinois is celebrating
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, which is designed to
highlight the risks and consequences associated with driving a car
after using alcohol or marijuana. |
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among
teenagers in the United States. In 2012, according to the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC), 104 adolescents ages 12-20 in Illinois
died of injuries from motor vehicle accidents. According to the
Illinois State Police, although teens only represent 10 percent of
licensed drivers in the U.S., they are involved in or responsible
for 17 percent of all alcohol related crashes. Impaired driving has
long term, sometimes fatal consequences for adolescent drivers,
their families, and community. Possible repercussions of a drunken
or drugged driving crash include loss of life, serious brain or
physical injuries, legal consequences or jail time, and long term
emotional and mental health issues for the driver and others
affected by the crash.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Dec/13/images/ads/current/ccaonline_sda050208.png) In 2012, 41 percent of high school seniors in the U.S. drank alcohol
in the last month. According to the 2012 Illinois Youth Survey,
which is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services, this
percentage was even higher in Illinois with 47 percent of seniors
reporting illegal alcohol use in the last 30 days. Of the Illinois
seniors who engaged in underage drinking in 2012, 1 in 6 reported
that they drove under the influence of alcohol on at least one
occasion in the past year. Even a small amount of alcohol affects
the teenage brain and impairs judgment, increases risky behavior,
and slows reaction time and coordination, which affects their
ability to drive safely.
According to the 2012 Illinois Youth Survey, 38 percent of 12th
graders smoked marijuana in the last year. Of these students, 1 in 5
reported driving after using marijuana or another illegal drug at
least one time in the past year. Although more teens use alcohol
than marijuana, adolescents are more likely to drive after using
marijuana because they do not think that marijuana use impairs their
ability to drive. As a drug that affects the brain and causes a high
after use, marijuana use increases the risk for an accident because
this behavior slows coordination and decision making, which
negatively affects a teen’s ability to react to obstacles and be
fully in control.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Dec/13/images/ads/current/st_claras_lda_082114.png)
In Illinois, the State Police and Department of
Transportation have stepped up measures to prevent impaired
driving. The Illinois State Police have increased patrols on
holidays and nights when young people are more likely to be
drinking. Additionally, zero tolerance laws in Illinois can
result in suspended licenses and legal consequences for teens if
police find evidence of any alcohol or drug use.
One of the key messages of National Impaired Driving Prevention
Month is that this dangerous behavior can be prevented by the action
of parents, educators, and all community members. Simple ways to
prevent impaired driving in your community include:
- Act as a designated driver for friends or family
- Talk to your children about impaired driving and set
curfew/restrictions on night driving
- Call 911 to report suspected instances of impaired driving.
To read the President’s 2014 Proclamation for National
Impaired Driving Prevention Month, visit www.whitehouse.gov. For
information on impaired driving and how you can help prevent
impaired driving in your community, refer to Centers for Disease
Controls resource guide at
www.cdc.gov.
[Illinois Department of Human
Services]
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Dec/13/images/ads/current/humanesociety_sda022411.png) |