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Show Alcohol Consumption (Utah Household Survey on Substance Abuse) This survey question also looks at self-reported regular use of alcohol, but focuses on age differences in alcohol consumption. Use of alcohol remains highest for young adults 18-25, although generally it appears to be decreasing in Utah and in the U.S. for those 18 and older. The number of 12-17 year olds who report having consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days appeared to be rising rapidly in Utah in 1993. See Drug Use Among Students, p.97, for more on alcohol consumption by teens. Table 74 Regular Alcohol Use Utah U.S. Year 12-17 18-25 26 + Year 12-17 18-25 26 + 1979 _ 38.5 27.9 1979 37.2 75.9 61.3 1982 30.2 70.9 59.8 1983 -. 44.0 31.6 1988 25.2 65.3 54.8 1989 _ 38.7 28.7 1991 20.3 63.6 52.6 1992 8.8 31.4 26.3 1992 15.7 59.2 - 1993 13.3 34.3 24.0 1993 59.3 52.1 1994 32.8 24.9 Percentage of persons reporting consumption of alcohol within the past 30 days. Drinking and Driving (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) This survey question asks those who drink if they have driven after having had too much to drink at least once during the previous month. Ironically, this asks for a judgment, "too much to drink," which may be difficult to determine while consuming alcohol, even in hindsight There has been a steady decline in the percentages of those drinking and driving in Utah and the U.S. Changing social attitudes and stiffer laws may have contributed to the decline in drinking and driving. Utah has one of the nation's strictest legal blood alcohol limits (at 0.08%). Utah remains below the U.S. median in the percentage of the population 18 and older who report having too much to drink before driving. Only seven states had lower percentages than Utah in 1993. Figure 45_______________________________________ Table 75. Drinking and Driving (18+ Years of Age) U.S. US U.S. Year Utah Low Median High 1986 3.4 1.1 3.6 9.5 1987 2.1 1.3 3.3 8.2 1988 1.5 1.4 3.2 8.4 1989 1.5 1.1 2.9 5.9 1990 1.3 0.7 2.9 5.9 1991 1.4 0.69 2.49 6.32 1992 1.4 0.65 2.33 5.71 1993 1.5 0.82 2.42 5.30 Percentage of persons who report driving after having too much to drink one or more times in the past month. Drinking and Driving 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 - n. -----A- -U.S. Low -Utah - U.S. Median -U.S. High 92 Risk Factors |