These young drivers make up 6.7 percent of the total driving population, but constitute 13 percent of the alcohol-involved drivers in fatal crashes.
Alcohol use is the number one drug problem among young people.
About 10 million current drinkers were under age 21 in 1995. Of these, 4.4 million were binge drinkers, including 1.7 million heavy drinkers. Eight young people a day die in alcohol-related crashes. The younger an individual starts drinking, and the greater the intensity and frequency of alcohol consumption, the greater the risk of using other drugs. Youth who drink alcohol are 7.5 times more likely to use any illicit drug, and 50 times more likely to use cocaine than young people who never drink alcohol.