1. Research continues to show that young drivers 15 to 20 years old are more often involved in alcohol-related crashes than any other comparable age group. Alcohol-crash involvement rates, share of the alcohol-crash problem and alcohol-crash risk all reach their peaks with young drivers, with the peaks for fatal crashes occurring at age 21. (NHTSA, 2001)
2. Underage drinkers are responsible for between 10 and 20 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States. (NAS, 2003)
3. In 2003, 28 percent of the young male drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking at the time of the crash, compared with 13 percent of the young female drivers involved in fatal crashes. (NHTSA, 2004)
4. In 2003, 28 percent of young drivers (15 to 20 years old) of passenger vehicles involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking were unrestrained. Of the young drivers who had been drinking and were killed, 74 percent were unrestrained. (NHTSA, 2004)
5. Approximately one fifth (22.9 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to an alcohol use survey. (SAMHSA, 2004) (binging is defined as having more than five drinks in a row.)
6. The total cost attributable to the consequences of underage drinking was more than $53 billion per year in 1998 dollars. (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1999)
7. People who begin to drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who who wait until age 21. Each additional year of delayed drinking onset reduces the probability of alcohol dependence by 14 percent. (Grant, 1998)
8. Parents' drinking behavior and favorable attitudes about drinking have been positively associated with adolescents' initiating and continuing drinking. (NIAAA, 1997)
9. Alcohol is the number one youth drug problem, killing more than all other drugs combined. (Grunbaum, et al, 2002)
10. In 2001, 41 percent of frequent binge drinkers had unplanned sex and 21 percent had unsafe sex as a result of their drinking in the past year. (Cooper, 2002)

Statistics on Marijuana and Other Substance Use

In 2004, 51 percent of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug. (Source: Monitoring the Future Survey 2004)

The percentage of teens who have had a cigarette in the past 30 days has declined from 34 percent to 25 percent in the past five years. (Source: Monitoring the Future Survey 2004)

In 2004, 51 percent of high school seniors had tried an illicit drug, compared to 54 percent in five years earlier. (Source: Monitoring the Future Survey 2004)

Research shows that perception of risk is the most important influencing factor influencing the decision to use drugs. (Source: Monitoring the Future Survey 2004)

77 percent of seniors have used alcohol, 53 percent have used cigarettes, 46 percent have used marijuana and 11 percent have used inhalants. (Source: Monitoring the Future Survey 2004)

Heroin, in any form, can cause death. (Source: NIDA)

Of the half of all teens who have been offered drugs, 57% say that the offer came from a friend around their age. (Source: PATS 2002)

Percentage of Teens Who Have Learned A Lot About the Risks of Drugs

School lessons or programs: 44%
Their friends: 32%
Parents or grandparents: 31%
TV commercials: 29%
The Internet: 22%

Source: PATS 2002