Study Suggests A Growing Number Of Women Are Drinking And Driving

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Scientists have conducted studies about drunk driving and the more the researchers look into it the more they are concerned about female drivers.

Researchers analyzed 180,000 fatal car crashes among drivers aged 16 to 24. Over a seven year period they found the rates among young men either fell or stayed the same.

The rates among young women increased. Overall, young females increased their proportion of alcohol-related crashes by three percentage points.

This study suggests a growing number of women are abusing alcohol.

This is very important because sometimes you read these statistics and you can take them many ways. In this case, we're looking at facts and the cold, hard facts are that alcohol and driving just don't mix, and that is true for both men and women.