High-Risk Driving Behaviors Among 12th Grade Students: Differences Between Alcohol-Only and Alcohol Mixed With Energy Drink Users.

Background: About 30% of high school students use energy drinks. Alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) has been associated with higher rates of risky driving among college students.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine AmED-use in a sample of high school students and (b) to specifically investigate differences in risky driving behaviors between 12th grade students who engaged in AmED-use and those who consumed alcohol only.

Methods: Differences in risky driving behaviors were investigated by utilizing secondary data analyses of nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future Study (N = 1305).

Results: 12th grade AmED users were significantly more likely to be in a motor vehicle accident (p <.001) and receive a ticket for a traffic violation (p <.05). Additionally, 12th grade AmED users were significantly less likely to wear a seatbelt as a driver or passenger (p <.001). Conclusions/Importance: Although this study does not link risky driving behaviors to specific drinking events, it does indicate a relationship between AmED-use and high-risk driving. Because traffic accidents are the highest cause of mortality among U.S. teenagers, drug education efforts to reduce high-risk driving behaviors should include information on the decision-making and synergistic effects of energy drinks when mixed with alcohol.