What is the role of adolescent psychology and drunk driving by teens?
Addiction causes changes in psychology and behaviors, not the other way around. To understand DUIs, we need to understand addiction, as that drives everything else (and most DUIs are addicts). Underlying psychology is irrelevant.
This is true for young DUIs as well as older ones. The typical recovering alcoholic informs us he or she triggered addiction during the first drinking episode–average age, 13. Actress Drew Barrymore tells us she drank addictively at age 8. Most alcoholics are in the throes of functional early-stage alcoholism by the time they are licensed to drive.
Non-addicts have a difficult time functioning at high blood alcohol levels. They don’t think they’re God or act recklessly while under the influence; they may act silly and loosen up a bit (inhibitions are reduced, but not eliminated as they are with alcoholics),, but then they fall asleep. Alcoholism causes agitation and egomania, which in turn makes addicts inconsiderate of others. Because they think they are invincible, they act recklessly. Ask recovering addicts how the drug made them feel and many respond, “Like superman. I felt like I was God-like.”
The average DUI who is arrested has a BAL of .16 per cent, a level at which almost any non-addict would be flat on his or her face. The addict may not even appear inebriated until the BAL reaches .24 per cent. Instead, he exhibits the classic behavioral signs of alcoholism about which I have written extensively –egomania, an abusive attitude toward others and a willingness to take extraordinary risks that sober people wouldn’t consider.