According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, if you use a computer or smartphone right before bedtime it can lead to sleep loss. A recent article highlighted a case study done that revealed teenagers who spend lots of time engaged in texting and social media sites are more prone to also use alcohol, drugs and even get into fights.

One teenager interviewed for the article says when he has time to waste; he will probably use it to text. He claims to use his phone the most for sending quick responses while at work, texting and when he is bored, though he is not sure if he’s addicted or not.

Intel Labs along with the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology reported on a recent study that showed smartphones can also be habit-forming and that most U.S. and Finnish users check their phone constantly during the day and mostly spend less than half a minute each time. Checks are typically triggered by things such as checking the news when they are bored or checking emails during commutes. Others interviewed say their smartphones are boredom busters and while some typically use it as just a phone, it is also a good distraction while waiting for something.

A recent study conducted at the University of Santiago de Compostela provides new information about how students make these decisions while in college. The study reveals that students who use cannabis, alcohol or tobacco are more likely to engage in non-prescribed drug abuse. The Spanish researchers call the results evidence of multi-drug consumption.

Lead author Francisco Caamaño and researchers recruited 1,400 freshmen and asked them to complete an anonymous questionnaire, with a follow-up occurring two years later. The study’s results are published in the Journal of Public Health.

The questionnaire was divided into a measurement of alcohol use to determine whether any possible alcohol use disorder was evident, and another section that asked questions about socioeconomic aspects, in addition to gathering information about the individual’s expectations regarding alcohol and drug use. The team also utilized Spain’s National Health Survey to get information about prescribed and non-prescribed drug use.

The researchers found that there was a significant level of consumption of all types of medication, with particularly high levels of fever and pain treatment use in addition to stimulants, anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives. However, the results were in agreement with findings for that age range for the National Health Survey.

The findings also showed a connection between drug abuse and the abuse of cannabis, tobacco and alcohol, especially when the researchers examined the use of non-prescribed drugs. The authors note that students who use these substances have the highest rate of use for non-prescribed drugs. At the two-year follow-up, the trend is the same for those who continue to abuse cannabis.

The researchers also found that the student’s living conditions made a difference in their approach to drug use. The results showed that students who studied away from home, rather than attending a local college, consumed 35 percent more drugs than those who live with their parents.

The study provides important information about students’ drug and alcohol use at school. The findings reveal that students have a 37 percent chance of abusing alcohol, 30 percent chance of abusing tobacco and 20 percent chance of abusing cannabis. At the two-year follow-up, alcohol consumption increased to 53.4 percent.

The study’s findings are significant for parents who are considering whether their child is prepared to pursue a degree away from home. The results may lead to increased awareness and education for students who make plans to leave for college.

Texting While Driving Worse than Drinking and Driving

The U.K. study was commissioned by the Royal Automobile Club Foundation and carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory. They say reaction times for motorists who text were reduced by 35 percent. That may not sound so awful until it is seen in comparison to drinking and drug use impairment. Drivers who drank alcohol at the legal limit experienced a 12 percent reduction and users of marijuana saw a 21 percent slower reaction time.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers noted a significant loss of steering control among texting drivers. Steering control was reduced by a whopping 91 percent when compared to drivers giving full attention to motoring. In addition, the study noted that drivers who text tend to drift out of their own lane more often and have more difficulty maintaining safe distances from other cars.

Breaking the Law for a Text

In Great Britain it is illegal to use a handheld phone while you are driving. Nevertheless, the study found that 50 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds admitted to the practice. Using mobile phones for texting requires that hands leave the steering wheel; reading tiny characters requires that eyes leave the road; and thinking about what you have read or will write in return is distracting. All of these combine to slow reaction time and reduce proper vehicle control. The Transport Research Laboratory study reported that, on average, drivers needed 63 seconds to write a text (compared to the 22 seconds required to write at a desk).

Penalties for using mobile phones when driving have risen in the U.K. with more points taken against the license and increased fines assessed. Additionally, if a motorist involved in a deadly crash is found to have been phoning or texting on a mobile, he/she can serve up to five years in jail. A recent campaign designed to heighten driver awareness to the dangers of mobile use when driving uses the slogan “Switch off before you drive off.”

Road Tests Confirm Danger of Texting While Driving

A June article appearing in the popular U. S. magazine Car and Driver reported on a non-scientific road test it conducted. The testers used responsiveness to a dash-mounted light as their control mechanism and then proceeded to measure reaction times for a 22-year-old driver and a 37-year-old driver while each was texting. The test was repeated after several alcoholic beverages for the sake of comparison.

While the younger driver performed better than the older, neither drove safely and both were much more dangerous when texting than after drinking. The lighthearted tone of the article itself did not take away from its message: Texting slows reaction times, leads to lane drifting and poor braking.

Tests at home and abroad prove the necessity of giving complete attention to driving regardless of how capable one feels at multi-tasking. You’re not doing as well as you think you are. Everyone knows that it is irresponsible to drink alcohol and then get behind the wheel. People with mobile phones need to know that texting is even more irresponsible.

Sadly, parents often forget to explore the potential liability issues for allowing their child to either drive their car or, in extreme cases, drive any car at all. A typical scenario involves a teen getting into a fender bender and causing the family’s auto insurance rates to increase, over and above the amount it already rose due to having a teen driver. But, what about the more extreme examples of teen driving incidents? What if your child drives your car while under the influence? Are parents criminally or civilly liable when their teen goes out and hurts someone? The short answer is, yes.

Parental liability for teen driving is something that all parents should explore prior to signing for a license for their teen or allowing the teen to use the family car. The liability arises on a state law level, with different standards applied by different jurisdictions. Typically, however, three major areas of parental liability can attach as the result of a teen driving accident. In some cases, one or more theories of liability can attach to a single incident, increasing the total amount of financial exposure.

Parental liability for signing for a teen’s driver’s license

Parents who sign for a child’s license will be liable for motor vehicle injuries caused by that child until either the child’s eighteenth birthday or the day the parent withdraws support for the license. In California, signing for a driver’s license attaches strict liability, meaning that there is very little that a parent can do to avoid being held responsible for the acts of the minor. The liability, however, is often capped at various dollar amounts.

Liability for letting someone borrow your car

Another major type of parental liability would attach regardless of the driver’s age or familial relationship. Most states impose liability on the owner of a vehicle that has been involved in an automobile accident, if the owner knew or should have known that the driver presented a dangerous risk to others. Parents typically find themselves subject to this “negligent entrustment” liability when their teen has a history of problems with drugs or alcohol, prior DUI’s or other significant risk factors. All owners, however, could find themselves at the wrong end of a negligent entrustment suit for letting even an adult friend or relative borrow the car, if they do so despite evidence of prior dangerous behavior. For instance, if you know your 38-year old brother has two prior DUI incidents on his record, but you lend him your car anyway, you could be sued for negligent entrustment if he goes out and hurts someone with your car as a result of drinking.

Liability for negligent parenting

The final type of parental liability for teen accidents arises from the concept of negligent parenting. Although this liability can attach in any personal injury situation, such as assault, bullying or rape, parents typically encounter negligent parenting charges as a result of teen DUI or reckless driving incidents. As with negligent entrustment liability, most states require a plaintiff to show that the parent knew or should have known that the child needed to be supervised during the given activity. A teen’s history of bad behavior or drug or alcohol abuse will typically aid the plaintiff in proving that the parent was negligent in supervising his or her child.

Examples of Parental Liability for a children’s DUI

At 3:30pm on a Friday afternoon in April 2008, Chynna Stone, a sophomore at SMU, was sitting on her couch when 24-yr old Brian Adams drove through her living room in his parents’ GMC Yukon. Stone was pinned to the back wall and buried under three feet of rubble. The impact also caused Stone’s water heater and various pipes to burst, flooding the first floor of the apartment and causing water damage to any items not already destroyed by the crash. It took rescue crews at least forty minutes to free Stone from the pile of debris; she was later taken to Baylor hospital.

Stone and her parents filed a lawsuit in March 2010 against not only the driver, but also his parents. Adams’ parents are being sued civilly in Texas under the theory of negligent entrustment of a motor vehicle, as they knew or should have known that Adams was incompetent, reckless or unfit to operate a motor vehicle when they allowed him to drive it. In addition to standard negligence causes of action, the Stones are also suing the parents for gross negligence – a conscious indifference to the rights, safety and welfare of the general public. Gross negligence damages are typically not covered by liability insurance and may even be non-dischargeable in a bankruptcy filing.

In the suit, Stone alleges that Adams’s parents let him use their car, even though they knew that he had serious issues with alcohol and drug abuse. In support of their claims, the Stones allege that Adams had previously been arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and had a prior DWI charge. The suit also alleges that the parents unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Brian to go to drug rehab and, when he refused, continued to allow him to drive their vehicle anyway.

There is evidence that, at the scene, Adams had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol. He admitted to police that he had been drinking, and failed a series of field sobriety tests. It was determined that his blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of the crash was 0.16, double the legal limit. Toxicology tests also showed that Adams was under the influence of marijuana and cocaine at the time.

Adams was later charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury (Texas Penal Code section 22.02(A)(1)); he pled guilty and was sentenced to ten years probation.

Prior to the accident, Stone suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. The suit alleges that this condition has gotten worse as a result of the accident and her attorneys claim that she will endure physical pain and mental anguish in the future, as well as loss of earning capacity, physical impairment, and disfigurement. Her parents are suing on the basis of loss of services and earnings of their dependent child.

Criminal liability for a child’s DWI in New York

A more recent New York case is an example of how negligent parenting can lead to criminal charges. In September 2009, 17-year-old Lars Haas was driving drunk when he ran a red light and hit a truck driven by 72-year-old Robert Meehan. Meehan was ejected from the truck and died from his injuries six weeks later.

An investigation revealed that Haas’s mother, Susan, had furnished the alcohol that resulted in his intoxicated state. Haas was also driving his mother’s 2008 Pontiac Vibe at the time of the collision; Susan was not in the car. Several cans of beer were found in the car after the accident, and chemical tests revealed that Haas’s blood alcohol content was above the legal limit for New York. He also had marijuana in his system.

The son has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and DWI. Not surprisingly, the DA has also charged Susan Haas with serving alcohol to minors (a misdemeanor). A civil suit is likely on the horizon.

Millie Cavanaugh, Esq., is a former insurance defense attorney currently practicing immigration law. She is licensed to practice law in California and Massachusetts. The information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as a solicitation for your business or as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of this information without seeking independent legal advice.

Sources
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2010/03/two_years_after_she_was_buried.php
http://www.smudailycampus.com/2.6641/prayer-service-held-for-smu-student-1.962258

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=871953&category=region

Binge drinking is an intense consumption of alcoholic drinks (4-6 in a session) followed by intermittent periods of alcohol abstinence. Binge drinking has long been a problem for college students and college-age young adults. The physical consequences of binge drinking consist of drunk-driving accidents, alcohol related illness, and approximately 1,700 students deaths each year from alcohol poisoning. There are many social consequences to binge drinking, it can impair judgment and make people say or do things that they wouldn’t normally. This can lead to fractured friendships and relationships.

Binge drinking is detrimental to the education of college students. Alcohol abuse can make it hard for them to concentrate in classes. According to a recent National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism report, “Nearly 25 percent of all college students report academic consequences of drinking, including missing class, failing behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.”

Binge drinking is most common among college students despite the educational consequences. The students’ age is partially to blame, young adults are known for experimenting with drinking and drugs. Binge drinking is far more dangerous than social drinking. It is a phenomena that concerns both parents and educators. To curb binge drinking we have to attack the source, colleges that promote the culture of binge drinking.

Binge drinking appeals to students because of their schedule. Durning the school week they are busy with classes and homework, their study time often spills over into weekend leisure hours. When the studding is finally done, they have much relaxing to do in a small amount of time. This leads to the consumption of many drinks, almost all at once. Fraternity, club, and sports team initiation rites can include binge drinking. These ‘hazing’ rituals involve extreme drinking. Hazing has caused the deaths of several US college students.

Binge drinking is a localized problem, it is prevalent on some college campuses, while entirely absent on others. The differences between these campuses are key to the restraint of binge drinking. Colleges with emphasis on fraternity and sorority life have higher rates of binge drinking. Schools that have bars, stores that serve alcohol, or bars close to campus also have higher rates. Students that live off of campus have an increased chance of binge drinking.

The solution seems obvious, schools can limit binge drinking if they restrict the students’ access to alcohol. Don’t put a bar on the campus if you don’t want students to drink. Campuses with bars argue that they are for responsible drinkers. The bar is on safe ground if someone should become carelessly intoxicated. The problem is, many students are not responsible. That is why we ship them off to educational facilities that also provide food and housing. College is the ‘training wheels’ for life’s bicycle ride.

Many schools in Orange County, Florida have started an initiative to limit or end drink specials in the bars around college campuses. The county officials have also proposed lowering the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen, they feel that this will end binge drinking as rite of passage. Opponents feel that lowing the drinking age will only exacerbate the problem. Limiting drink specials is a start, but educators need to take more steps to end the students’ perception of college as a place to binge drink.

Schools need to address the binge drinking culture that seems to go hand in hand with fraternities and sorties. Much of the damage is done during alcohol-rich hazing rituals. Hazing has spread to other institutions, there is a rising number of college sports teams that initiate with alcohol hazing. Schools should not only ban alcohol hazing, but they should ban hazing altogether. Colleges should leave no room for these unpredictable rites.

There are many ways that parents can help prevent their students from binge drinking. They can choose colleges that have alcohol free campuses. Parents can find ‘dry’ campuses and read up on binge drinking at http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/. Many college students will still drink, regardless of how easily they can obtain alcohol. Parents should discuss the difference between responsible, social drinking and harmful binge drinking. Parents should encourage sensible drinking though open dialogue and loving concern.

Related Information: College Binge Drinking

References

“Binge drinking most affected by environment, says Wechsler”. (2008, August 18). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly.

Courtney, K., & Polich, J. (2009, January). “Binge Drinking in Young Adults: Data, Definitions, and Determinants”. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 142-156.

“Florida Colleges Targeting Binge Drinking.” (2008, November 3). Community College Week.

According to the 2007 study conducted by ESPAD, the percentage of teenagers who use illicit drugs has risen steadily since 1995, with some European countries reporting an extremely high percentage of users within the past 30 days (Czech Republic, 46%). Although the United States scored lower than several countries in Europe, it’s still a concerning study, as more teenagers than ever before are exposing themselves to illicit drugs that could lead to addiction. As more research has concluded that addiction is primarily caused by several genetic aberrations, those teenagers who are particularly vulnerable will likely develop an addiction after exposure.

Regarding alcohol, teenagers are starting to drink at increasingly younger ages. According to researchers at the University of the West of England, Bristol, binge drinking is particularly popular amongst 15 to 16 year olds, with similar findings reported back in the United States. This means that substance addiction can start as young as 14, which has a severe impact on the physical, mental and emotional development as the teenager matures into an adult.

This problem is highly serious and chronic, and only serves to highlight the need for early addiction education within European and American schools.

For many, this is more than just celebration and turns into a significant problem. According to a Science Daily report, more than 500,000 college students suffered alcohol-related injuries in 2001. This cited study examined the “dose-response” effect of quantities and frequencies and found that heavy drinkers with a sensation-seeking disposition had the greatest risk of alcohol-related injuries.

“In the United States, most – as in 70 percent – of college students have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days, and 40 percent of students have engaged in heavy drinking in the past two weeks,” said Marlon P. Mundt in the Science Daily piece. Mundt is assistant scientist in the department of Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and corresponding author for the study.

“More than 1,700 U.S. college students aged 18-24 died from alcohol-related injuries in 2001,” he added. “Approximately 2.8 million U.S. college students drove under the influence of alcohol in the past 12 months, and 600,000 U.S. college students were hit or assaulted by a student who was under the influence of alcohol.”

This particular study examined the combined “dose-response” effects of drinking quantities and frequencies on college alcohol-related injury risk. Mundt and his team found that those students who drank 8+ drinks for males and 5+ drinks for females at least four days per month were five times more likely to be injured than those who did not cross this drinking threshold.

Mundt highlighted that in order to tackle the drinking challenge on campus, administrators, parents and clinicians need to examine more than just quantities or frequency of consumption alone as they do not show the whole picture.