DESIGNATED DRIVING AMONG COLLEGE-STUDENTS

Objective: We studied the frequency of designated driver use, predicto rs of designated driver use, whether designated drivers use alcohol, a nd barriers to using a designated driver. Method: Undergraduates at Ar izona State University (N = 544) completed a questionnaire assessing d esignated driver use. The mean age of participants was 20.6 years old and 52% were male. Criterion for inclusion in the study was that parti cipants had consumed alcohol at least one time. Results: Eighty-six pe rcent (86%) of participants had used a designated driver. Monthly alco hol use and driving to drinking destinations were positively associate d with designated driver use. Ninety-four percent of participants indi cated that their designated driver occasionally consumed alcohol. The most frequent reason for not using a designated driver was, ''I stayed where I was drinking until I was sober'' (37%). Less alcohol use amon g friends was associated with sounder methods of designated driver sel ection. Conclusions: Findings suggest those groups at risk for alcohol -related driving accidents tend to use designated drivers at high rate s, but these groups tend to choose designated drivers who consume alco hol.