Mixed messages: Contributions to adolescent drinking and driving

Abstract

This qualitative study focused on the discrepancies in messages concerning alcohol use presented by adults to young people. The purpose was to investigate how these discrepancies might impact adolescents’ drinking, and drinking and driving behavior. The data consisted of semi-structured interviews with 44 adolescents who in a previous survey had admitted having been involved in drinking and driving, riding with a drunk driver, or both. The analysis of the interviews focused on the discrepancies between messages presented by adult authorities and the respondents’ experience of actual behavior from these authorities. The findings indicate that there are serious problems in the communication between adult authorities and adolescents. Parents, schools, and police are not consistent and persistent in their communication with adolescents concerning alcohol and drinking and driving. This inconsistency seems to prevent teenagers from understanding the extent of the problem of drinking and driving. Implications for research and prevention are discussed.

• Social learning theory
• qualitative study
• adolescent drinking and driving
• communication
• parental monitoring
• enforcement of drinking and driving laws