Impaired Road Use Among College Students: What’s Happening, Why It’s Happening, and What to Do About It

Description:

Impaired road use among college students is a multifaceted issue that extends beyond drunk driving. As the substance use and mobility landscape are rapidly changing, the emergence of impaired use of bikes, scooters, and skateboards, as well as increase in cannabis impaired driving, warrant a recommitment to preventing impairment on the road. This session will present current data on impaired road use, highlighting both emerging trends and critical gaps. Participants will also explore contributing factors behind these behaviors and reflect on where risks may exist on their own campus.Recognizing the challenges of limited time and competing priorities, this presentation will equip campus professionals with practical and fundamental strategies to address this issue. We’ll discuss opportunities for assessment, capacity building, and offer participants examples of how to naturally integrate traffic safety into existing prevention efforts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the current landscape of impaired road use among college students, including substances involved, types of mobility, and trends over time.
2. Explore contributing factors behind impaired road use behaviors including danger and legal perceptions, norms, and the campus environment.
3. Identify practical strategies to integrate traffic safety work into campus prevention efforts leveraging data, building partnerships, and engaging students.
4. Describe the current landscape of impaired road use among college students, including substances involved, types of mobility, and trends over time.