Among Coflege Students*

Transcription

1 Use of Designated Boat Operators and Designated Drivers Among Coflege Students* JEEWON CHEONG, PH.D.,t NICOLE M. HALL, B.A.,t AND DAVID R MAcKINNON, PH.D.t Department of Psychology Univemsioy of Pittsbingh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ABSTRACT. Objective: Prior research has shown that designated drivers (DD) are widely used as a preventive measure for driving under the influence. Despite the prevalence of alcohol involvement in boating accidents, much less is known about the use of a designated boat operator (DBO). The current study investigated the prevalence of DBO use in recreational boating and compared the characteristics of DD users and DBO users. Method: Several survey questionnaires were distributed to a group of undergraduate students at a large southwestern university for the purpose of investigating demographic characteristics, alcohol-use pattern, and other alcohol-related problem behaviors, such as driving and boating under the influence. Results: Approximately 45% of the boaters reported they had drunk alcohol while boating, and approximately 70% had used a DBO in the most recent boating event. The DBO users were found to be similar to the DD users in terms of drinking pattern, age of drinking onset, and driving behaviors. Conclusions: High rates of alcohol use in recreational boating suggest the need for prevention strategies. Furthermore, future studies are needed to investigate the selection process of the DBOs and the differences between passengers and boat operators, which could shed light on strategies to prevent alcoholinvolved boating injuries. (J. Stud.Alcohol 67: , 2006) ESPITE THE DECREASE IN ALCOHOL USE and the related fatalities in recent years, alcohol involvement is still a major cause of traffic fatalities and injuries. In 2001, there were 17,448 fatalities and 275,000 injuries resulting from alcohol involvement in motor vehicle crashes in the United States (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2001). In the same year, there were a total of 232 fatalities and 530 injuries resulting from alcohol use in boating accidents in the United States, which correspond to 34% of fatalities and 12% of injuries from alcohol involvement (United States Coast Guard, 2003). Given the high rates of alcohol involvement in vehicle accidents, numerous studies have pointed to the need for preventive measures for alcohol misuse and related problems of driving behaviors, including the use of designated driver (DD) and safe ride programs (Barr and MacKinnon, 1998; Caudill et al., 2000, 2001; DeJong and Winsten, 1999; Glascoffet al., 1994; Harding et al., 1988; Knight et al., 1993a,b; Shore et al., 1991; Timmerman et al., 2003). Unlike the abundance of research that has been done on alcohol involvement in vehicle accidents and efforts to prevent or reduce the problems, there has been minimal research on alcohol use and boat operation or the use of a Received: November 28, 2005, Revision: February *This research was supported in part by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grantaa a. tcorrespondence may be sent to JeeWon Cheong at the above address or via at:jcheong@pitt.edu. Nicole M. Hall and David P. MacKinnon are with the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. designated boat operator (DBO), even though the same problems are prevalent in boating and water sports (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993; Howland and Hingson, 1988; Howland et al., 1990; Logan et al., 1999; Smith et al., 2001). The current study was conducted to examine the prevalence of alcohol use and DBO use in recreational boating among college students and to compare the characteristics of the DD users and DBO users. Investigating the prevalence of DBO use and the related factors may suggest strategies for preventing fatalities and injuries resulting from alcohol involvement in recreational boating accidents. Furthermore, the similarities and differences between the DD users and DBO users may suggest specific strategies for promoting DD and DBO use. Participants Method The participants in this study were college students enrolled in introductory psychology classes at a large southwestern university. Questionnaires were administered in the fall of 2002 and in the spring and fall of 2004; there were 3,052 students who participated in any of these three surveys. The mean (SD) age of the participants was (2.08) years, and 59% of participants were women. Seventy one percent of participants were white, 11% were Hispanic, 3% were black, 6% were Asian, 2% were Native American, 1% were Middle Eastern, and 6% were of other ethnicity. 616

2 CHEONG, HALL, AND MAcKINNON 617 Measures The questionnaires contained various measures including DD and DBO use, drinking patterns, alcohol-related driving behaviors, and age of drinking onset. The items relevant to the current study are presented in Tables 1 and 2. Results Designated boat operator use and drinking in recreational boating First, we examined the prevalence of DBO use and alcohol involvement in recreational boating among boaters. Of a total of 3,052 participants, 885 students participated in boating in the previous summer, and only these boaters were included in the analyses in examining the prevalence of alcohol use and DBO use in boating. Table 1 shows the percentages of the individuals who endorsed boating, alcohol use, and several health behavior measures. Most of the boaters went boating 1-3 times (50.28%) or 4-10 times (30.96%) in the previous summer. The most frequent water sports they participated in were motor or power boating (39.86%), followed by water skiing (22.93%), and jet skiing (13.09%). The majority of the boaters (65.55%) drank one to three times a week. Approximately 45% reported they consumed alcohol while boating, with 8.63% drinking alcohol on every boating occasion. Approximately 62% of the boaters were with people who drank alcohol while boating, with 17.50% being in the company of alcohol consumers on every boating occasion. The rate of DBO use was high (69.85%) among the boaters, although 24.48% reported that their DBO consumed alcohol. Approximately 58% of the boaters thought drinking alcohol increased their enjoyment of water sports. Regarding the alcohol-related driving behaviors, 24.20% of the boaters drove a car when feeling intoxicated, and 54.14% rode in a car with a driver who had consumed alcohol. The majority of the boaters (94.97%) were aware of laws regarding drinking and boating, 69.51% reported that they always wore a seat belt in a car, and 51.96% knew the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration while driving. Coniparison of designated driver users and designated boat operator users In comparing the DD and DBO users, we included anyone who had used DDs or DBOs. The DD users were defined as those who had ever used a DD, and the DBO users were those who had ever used a DBO. There were 1,596 DD users and 632 DBO users. Among the DD users, 38.8% have used a DBO, and 87.34% of the DBO users have used a DD. The percentages of the DD and DBO users TABLE 1. Characteristics of boaters Questionnaire items % (n)a Days of boating in the previous summer 1-3 days (445) 4-10 days (274) days (89) >_20 days 8.70 (77) Type of water sports Motor/power (332) Sailing 3.96 (33) Water skiing (191) Jet skiing (109) Fishing 7.44 (62) Other (106) Drinking alcohol while boating in the previous summer (395) Being with people drinking alcohol while boating in the previous summer (543) Use of DBO in recent boating (607) Alcohol use by DBO in recent boating (210) Alcohol effects on increasing enjoyment of water sports (476) Attending safety education classes for water sports (193) Knowledge of laws regarding drinking and boating (812) Always use safety jackets in water sports (268) Always use seat belts in a car (604) Knowledge of legal BAC limit while driving (.08%) (424) Driving a car when feeling intoxicated in the previous month Never (661) 1-4 times (174) 5-9 times 2.76 (24) Ž>10 times 1.49 (13) Arrested for DUI 3.99 (34) Riding in a car with a driver who drank alcohol in the previous month Never (399) 1-4 times (370) 5-9 times 9.08 (79) Ž10 times 2.53 (22) Drinking onset age I don't drink 1.53 (13) Ž_21 years old 3.06 (26) years old (169) years old (325) years old (172) <14 years old (145) Days of drinking alcohol per week I don't drink (204) 1-3 times (550) 4-5 times 8.10 (68) Žt6 times 2.03 (17) Notes: DBO = designated boat operator; BAC - blood alcohol concentration; DUI = driving under the influence. othe percentage and the number of boaters who endorsed the items. The individuals with missing responses were excluded in calculating the percentages. who responded to the relevant items are reported in Table 2. Examining age of drinking onset, the majority of both DD users (95.31%) and DBO (95.91%) users started drinking before the age of 21. The most frequent drinking onset age group was years of age (43.18% of DD users; 40.10% of DBO users). There were more DBO users than DD users who had started drinking at age 14 or younger (7.29% of DD users; 13.91% of DBO users). The majority of DD and DBO users drank alcohol one to three times a week (73.87% of DD users; 68.21% of DBO users).

3 618 JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL / JULY 2006 TABLE 2. Comparisons of designated driver (DD) users and designated boat operator (DBO) users DD users DBO users Questionnaire items % (n)" % (n)o Drinking behaviors Drinking onset age I don't drink >_21 years old years old years old years old <14 years old Days of drinking alcohol/week I don't drink 1-3 times 4-5 times _>6 times Drinking alcohol while boating in the previous summer Being with people drinking alcohol while boating in the previous summer Boating behaviors Knowledge of laws regarding drinking and boating Always use safety jackets in water sports Driving behaviors Driving a car when feeling intoxicated in the previous month Never 1-2 times 3-4 times 5-6 times 7-9 times >10 times Riding in a car with a driver who drank alcohol in the previous month Never 1-2 times 3-4 times 5-6 times 7-9 times >10 times Arrested for DUI Knowledge of legal BAC limit while driving (.08%) Always use seat belts in a car 0.70(11) 3.99 (63) (294) (681) (413) 7.29 (115) (266) (1,128) 7.73 (118) 0.98 (15) (261) (331) 1.47 (9) 2.62(16) (126) (245) (130) (85) (133) (412) 7.95 (48) 1.82(11) (298) (418) (868) (585) (230) (197) (1,190) (274) 3.18(50) 1.91 (30) 038(6) 1.40 (22) (798) (478) 9.80 (154) 5.28 (83) 1.72 (27) 2.04 (32) 3.85 (60) 43.74(426) (761) 76.89(479) (100) 3.69 (23) 1.28 (8) 0.96 (6) 1.12(7) (272) 31.62(197) (76) 6.58 (41) 3.21 (20) 2.73 (17) 4.27 (26) (310) (436) ]Votes: DUI = driving under the influence; BAC = blood alcohol concentration. 'The percentage and the number of participants who endorsed the items. The individuals with missing responses were excluded in calculating. Comparing the frequency of driving while intoxicated, the DD and the DBO users showed a great deal of similarity (24.30% and 23.11%, respectively), but the DBO users reported more incidents in which they rode in a car with a driver who had consumed alcohol (49.24% and 56.34%. respectively). Both DD users and DBO users reported similar rates of having been arrested for driving under the influence (3.85% and 4.27%, respectively). Approximately half of the DD and DBO users knew the current legal blood alcohol concentration limit while driving in the state where the study took place (43.74% and 51.75%, respectively). Both DD and DBO users knew there were laws regarding drinking and boating (93.43% and 95.28%, respectively); however, a substantial number of individuals reported that they had drunk alcohol while boating (29.19% of DD users; 48.07% of DBO users) or had been with people who were drinking while boating (37.23% of DD users; 67.63% of DBO users). The rate of safety jacket use was higher in the DBO users (32.08%) than in the DD users (23.30%), but the rate of seat belt use was higher in the DD users (73.88%) than in the DBO users (70.66%). Discussion The current study examined the prevalence of alcohol involvement and DBO use in recreational boating among college students. Despite the high rate of DBO use and the awareness of the law enforcement for drinking and boating, the rate of alcohol involvement in boating'was as high as 45%, which is higher than the rates in the previous studies, which ranged from 29% to 32% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993; Howland et al., 1990; Logan et al., 1999). The difference in the alcohol involvement rates may be the result of several factors. First, the sample of the current study is college students, whereas the previous studies included adult boaters. It is likely that there were more passengers in the current sample and more boat operators in the adult sample. Another possibility is that the younger-aged college students may be more prone than adults to engage in risky behaviors such as drinking alcohol while boating. In any case, the high rate of alcohol involvement suggests the need for prevention strategies, particularly for the young population. The comparisons between the DD and DBO in the present study indicate that DD users and DBO users are similar in terms of their age of drinking onset, alcohol use pattern, and incidents of driving while feeling intoxicated. These similarities imply that targeting the individuals with those characteristics may promote both safe driving and safe boating and that the strategies used to promote DD use may also work for promoting DBO use. There are several limitations of the current study. First, the current sample included college students only and may not be representative of the general population of boaters. As discussed earlier, college students are more likely to be passengers. Second, we did not differentiate alcohol use by the passengers or boat operators in the current study. The risks faced by the passengers and boat operators may be different, and consequently the prevention strategies may also need to be different. Third, there were individuals whose age of drinking onset was 14 years or younger. It is not clear whether these individuals just had tastes or sips of alcohol to "experiment" with drinking or if they started drinking regularly at that young age. This point should be clearly differentiated in future studies. Finally, the current study did not investigate the ways in which the DBO was chosen. It is not clear who the DBO was and whether the

4 CHEONG, HALL, AND MAcKINNON 619 boaters actually considered the need for the DBO before choosing one. Knowing the procedures of selecting the DBO would provide more insights on the strategies to enhance safe boating. References BARR, A. AND MACKINNON, D.P. Designated driving among college students. 3. Stud. Alcohol 59: , CAUDILL, B.D., HARDING, W.M., AND MOORE, B.A. At-risk drinkers use safe ride services to avoid drinking and driving. J. Subst. Abuse 11: , CAUDILL, B.D., HARDING, W.M., AND MOORE, B.A. DWI prevention: Profiles of drinkers who use designated drivers. Addict. Behav. 26: ,2001. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. Alcohol Use and Aquatic Activities-United States, MMWR 42 (35): 675, , DEJoNG, W. AND WiNsm.N, J.A. The use of designated drivers by US college students: A national study. J. Amer. Coll. Hlth 47: , GLASCOFF, M.A., KNIGHT, S.M., AND JENKINS, L.K. Designated-driver programs: College students' experiences and opinions. J. Amer. Coll. Hlth 43: 65-70, HARDINo, W.M., APSLER, R., AND GOLDFEIN, J. The Assessment of Ride Service Programs as an Alcohol Countermeasure: Final Report, Report No. DOT HS , Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, HowLAND, J. AND HINGsON, R. Alcohol as a risk factor for drownings: A review of the literature ( ). Accid. Anal. Prev. 20: 19-25, HowLAND, J., MANGIONE, T., HINGSON, R., LEVENSON, S., WINTER, M., AND ALTwiCKER, A. A pilot survey of aquatic activities and related consumption of alcohol, with implications for drowning. Publ. Hlth Rep. 105: , KNImHT, S.M., GLASCOFF, M.A., AND RiKARD, G.L. A view from behind the wheel: College students as designated drivers. Hlth Values Hith Behav. Educ. Prom. 17: 21-27, 1993a. K.NoHur, S.M., GLASCOFF, M.A., AND RiKARD, G.L. On being a designated driver: A qualitative investigation of underage college student perceptions. J. Coll. Student Devel. 34: , 1993b. LOGAN, P., SACKS, J.J., BRANCHE, C.M., RYAN, G.W., AND BENDER, P. Alcohol-influenced recreational boat operation in the United States, Amer. J. Prey. Med. 16: , NATIONAL HIGiiWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. Traffic Safety Facts 2001, ReportNo. DOT HS , Washington: Department of Transportation, 2001 (available at: NCSA/TSFAnniTSF2001.pdf). SHORE, E.R., GREGORY, T., AND TATLOCK, L. College students' reactions to a designated driver program: An exploratory study. J. Alcohol Drug Educ. 37 (1): 1-6, SMITH, G.S., KEYL, P.M., HADLEY, J.A., BARTLEY, C.L., Foss, R.D., TOLBERT, W.G., AND McKNIoHT, J. Drinking and recreational boating fatalities: A population-based case-control study. JAMA 286: , TIMMERMiAN, M.A., GELLER, E.S., GLINDEIiANN, K.E., AND FOURNIER, A.K. Do the designated drivers of college students stay sober? J. Safety Res. 34: , UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. Boating Statistics 2001, Commandant Publication P , Washington: Department of Transportation, 2003 (available at: _2001.pdf).

5 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION TITLE: Use of Designated Boat Operators and Designated Drivers Among College S SOURCE: Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67 no4 Jl 2006 PAGE(S): WN: The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited. Copyright The H.W. Wilson Company. All rights reserved.