"Catalyst" is a publication of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. This issue contains the following articles: (1) What Science Tells Us About Impaired Driving Behavior And Consequences Among U.S. College Students; (2) Message From Kevin Jennings, OSDFS Assistant…

In recent years, there has been a surge in the quantity of media content that glorifies risk-taking behavior, such as risky driving, extreme sports, or binge drinking. The authors conducted a meta-analysis involving more than 80,000 participants and 105 independent effect sizes to examine whether exposure to such media depictions increased their…

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among drivers younger than age 35, making problem driving behavior among young drivers a significant public concern. Effective intervention requires a better understanding of the antecedents of problem driving. Problem behavior theory, social control theory, and Kandel's model of substance use…

The purpose of this book, written by a retired law enforcement officer, is to educate the public about drunk drivers, drinking drivers, and high-speed driving, in an effort to prevent injury, death, and suffering. It is intended to be an instructional manual and a practical, common-sense survival guide for the average individual. National…

The authors determined whether lifetime prescription drug misuse (PDM) associated with increased risks for alcohol-related problems among 18- to 34-year-old, NESARC respondents. Among 8222 "ever-drinkers," 15.4% reported ever "misusing sedatives, tranquilizers, painkillers or stimulants ... as prescriptions or from indirect sources." Outcomes were…

This study was designed to examine the community impact from introducing free alternative transportation for the drunk/drugged driver in two California cities. Baseline data were obtained in February of 1988 from 1,522 bar and nightclub patrons in Sacramento and San Jose, California. Over one-half of the respondents had consumed alcohol before…

This pamphlet is an example of cooperation between the private sector (AAA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. AAA has adapted materials prepared by the National Public Service Research Institute under an NHTSA contract and developed a 54-page student manual. The manual takes a complete and objective look at drinking and…

The aim of this study is to compare substance use between urban and rural secondary school districts in Texas between 1998 and 2003. The differences were analyzed using chi-square and analysis of variance. The analysis found that rural schools had students who reported higher rates of use of tobacco, frequent binge drinking, and driving while…

Law enforcement officials know the devastation that drinking can cause among the immature and the inexperienced. This guide is intended to be used by law enforcement agencies in cooperation with other segments of the community. It provides an overview of the problem of youth access to alcohol, a discussion of the legal and policy issues relating…

This paper reviews the research literature on the relationship of drugs, alcohol, and driving among young people, university students, and a group of young criminals. The data show that young people use drugs more than adults do, and that they drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, especially at night, more often than adults do, and…

This is a Searchlight Plus document, an informational analysis paper based on a computer search of the ERIC database from 1966 through November 1985 and on pertinent outside resources. This paper reviews, analyzes, and interprets the literature on the topic of substance abuse prevention in schools and points out the implications of the information…

It has been argued that alcoholism is the single worst social affliction in the world. In addition to the dangers of drinking and driving, alcohol and other drugs also have a detrimental and disruptive impact on education. Harassed principals and teachers are distracted from the main mission of education by violence and other anti-social behavior…

This survey examined the behaviors associated with the six leading causes of death or disability in one state's high school youth. Participants were 2,439 9th-12th grade students. Results identified alcohol as the drug most frequently used by high school students, with over half of students having used alcohol by their senior year and almost half…

This document presents the Alcohol and Drug Education Programs (ADEP) curriculum guide developed by the Missouri Department of Mental Health to provide education programs for individuals under the age of 21 convicted of certain alcohol and drug related offenses. An introduction is followed by a section on substances of abuse and their effects.…

Sixteen papers from a conference on findings from prevention research are presented in this document. The papers are categorized into these six areas: (1) state and federal roles in prevention; (2) prevention research perspectives, including prevention research, school-based drug education research findings, and drug abuse prevention research…