Posted by duijim in on October 21, 2016
Teens are seventeen times more likely to be involved in car crashes when they have been drinking. The society Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that more than 40% of all tenth graders drink alcohol and that kids who start drinking at a young age are seven times more likely to be involved in alcohol-related crashes.
Alcohol use among teenagers also appears to run rampant with 100% of parents believing their kids binge drink. While alcohol use is widespread, there are many particular conditions that cause teenagers to engage in alcohol use which can often creative extremely negatively consequences.
Teenagers’ Brains are Still Developing
Many medical authorities believe that the prefrontal cortex section of the brain, which is responsible for weighing outcomes and controlling impulses, is not fully formed until individuals are in their early twenties.
As the center of the brain that controls things like cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior, the prefrontal cortex is responsible for responding to road signs, deciding whether to accept an alcoholic drink at party, and even getting behind the wheel after partaking in an alcoholic drink.
Without the ability to make fully informed decisions with this part of the brain, teenagers are likely to make driving related errors like operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Alcohol Offers the Potential to Escape Through Self-Medication
Because teenagers who are unhappy are often unable to find a healthy way to decrease overwhelming feels of frustration or lack of confidence, many teenagers turn to the use of alcohol for comfort. Alcohol offers teenagers the ability to temporarily escape these feelings, but often at significant risks.
Given that the emotional weight of depression can be particularly heavy during the teen years, many teenagers find it essential to take something as an emotional escape.
Alcohol Use is a Type of Rebellion
Many teenagers choose to engage in alcohol use because this activity allows the teenager to rebel and behave aggressively. Teenage rebellion is actually due to several reasons: teenagers are in the process of discovering their identities, struggling between being dependent upon parents and acting independently, experience fluctuating hormone changes, and often being encouraged by peers to engage in risky behavior like alcohol consumption.
Teenagers are Often Particularly Curious About Alcohol Use
Curiosity can be a very strong temptation for teenagers to engage in alcohol use. The desire to try new things and explore various avenues like alcohol can be particularly tempting for teenagers. Not only can the urge to get drunk once be particularly strong, experimenting with alcohol use can also be compelling.
Due to the temptation to experiment, teenagers can end up becoming addicted to alcohol.
Contact a Knowledgeable Atlanta DUI Attorney
There are many ways for parents to prepare teenagers for the deadly consequences of alcohol. Parents can even create a driving agreement with a teenager with a version of this form on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention center.
If your teenager has been involved in a motor vehicle accident due to the use of alcohol, consider contacting a talented Atlanta DUI attorney at Yeargan & Kert.