20 Percent Of Teens Think Drinking Improves Their Driving, 100 Percent Of Me Thinks They Are Dumb

Oh teenagers and their perceptions of reality. Most really do believe they are indestructible. According to a new study, some also believe that drinking and drugging will actually help them drive better.

The study shows that one in four teens have driven under the influence. Twenty percent of these dummies think alcohol will actually improve their driving and 34 percent think smoking marijuana will as well. Yes, because nothing helps you weave through traffic and make sound driving decisions like drinking a couple of beers, cranking up the stereo and putting your foot on the gas.

Clearly, these kids think that they’re invinceable:

Cathy Chase of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety says the percentage of teens who think they can drive safely after drinking or using marijuana “seems high. “

No pun intended, of course.

The survey by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and Liberty Mutual Insurance polled 1,700 11th and 12th graders and also focused on the role parents play in their kid’s decisions. It seems parents need to be more proactive in talking to their kids about driving while impaired and not bank on the fact that their children know not to already.

Among many parents, “there is a been-there, done-that attitude when it comes to impaired driving,” said Stephen Wallace, SADD’s senior adviser for policy, research and education. “A lot of parents grew up on the don’t-drink-and-drive message. They figure, ‘Our kids hear this all the time,’ because they heard it all the time.”

I also wonder what percentage of teens think they wouldn’t be charged with drunk driving if they were pulled over with a wasted Academy Award-winning actress with a superiority complex sitting in their passenger seat? I’m guessing a pretty high percentage, but again they’d be wrong.

(photo: StacieStauffSmith / Shutterstock)