Individual and social-environmental factors among young drivers informing decisions to ride with an impaired driver and drive impaired: A sequential mixed methods assessment

Objective

To contextually examine facilitators of young driver decisions to ride with an impaired driver (RWI) or drive while impaired (DWI).

Methods

Data were from the NIH’s NEXT Generation Health Study (NEXT), a 7-year longitudinal nationally representative study with a U.S. probability cohort of 10th graders starting in 2009–2010. Using a multistage sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, we conducted latent class analysis (n = 2,783) to identify RWI/DWI trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood (Stage-1). We then conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with purposively sampled young adults (N = 105, 26.30 ± 0.43 y/o) from four identified RWI/DWI trajectory classes (Stage-2): 31 Abstainers (consistently low probability), 33 Escalators (low-to-high probability), 14 Decliners (high-to-low probability), and 27 Persisters (consistently high probability). In Stage-2, the qualitative interview guide was informed by Stage-1 findings and Ecodevelopmental Theory. Using directed content analysis, we applied inductive and deductive theory-grounded codes to interview transcripts. With data immersion, reflexivity, and team dialogue, we derived themes from the code, “Facilitators of RWI and/or DWI”. Demographics and validated measures of resiliency, health-related quality of life, Timeline Follow Back for alcohol and marijuana, and recent engagement in RWI/DWI were collected during the interviews.

Results

Based on the interview transcripts, five themes emerged around RWI/DWI facilitators during and after high school: (1) beliefs about alcohol/drug effects; (2) trust of others; (3) trust of self; (4) parental disapproval; and (5) transportation factors. Participants who RWI confidently placed their trust in their assessment of the driver’s impairment and their own in the context of close relationships. Those who DWI described desire to maintain simple/easy vehicle access while avoiding tickets/towing. The joint display of the quantitative and qualitative data is presented.

Conclusions

Notable misperceptions exist about how alcohol/drugs impact driving in the RWI/DWI context, particularly regarding the subtle signs of impairment. Youth commonly relied on their own assessment of impairment before driving themselves or riding with a potentially impaired driver, sometimes to avoid parental disapproval. Some engage in RWI/DWI to avoid discord with parents. DWI may relate to needing easy/immediate vehicle access. Pragmatic remedy considerations could include educating youth and young drivers about impairment, enhancing safe public transportation, and expanding ride-share programing.