Driving gives you the freedom to go where you want, but it also comes with the responsibility to make safe choices. Alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications, other drugs and even drowsiness can all affect your ability to focus, react quickly, and make good decisions behind the wheel. Understanding how impairment affects driving can help you make choices that protect you, your passengers, and everyone else on the road.
Even a small amount of alcohol can make driving more dangerous. As a new driver you’re still building experience behind the wheel, so alcohol will slow your reaction time, affect your judgement, and decision making more than quickly than it would for someone with many years of driving experience.
In 2023, 1 in 20 high school students in the U.S. reported driving after drinking alcohol and 1 in 6 students said they rode with a driver who had been drinking.9
In 2024 there were 11,904 fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes amongst all ages nationwide.4 Almost 30% of all crashes in New Hampshire involved driver impairment.3
Although alcohol is illegal to drink for youth under the age of 21, it is still a factor in many crashes involving teen drivers. In 2024 the DOT reported that in the U.S., 29% of drivers ages 15-20 who were killed in crashes had alcohol in their system.4
Alcohol also puts passengers, friends, and families at risk. In 2024 amongst all drivers in the U.S., 221 children ages 14 and younger lost their lives in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.4
Every 44 Minutes…Someone in the United States dies in an alcohol impaired crash.4
33 Lives Every Day…That’s how many people are killed by alcohol-impaired driving crashes.4
Millions Still Take the Risk.An estimated 15.5 million people in the U.S. reported driving under the influence of alcohol in one year, while 12 million in the U.S. reported driving after using cannabis and 2.2 million after using illicit drugs.3
After alcohol, marijuana is the most common drug linked to impaired driving.9 The chemical in marijuana that causes the “high” (THC) can slow reaction time, reduce coordination, and affect judgment. Approximately 1 in 6 teens who use marijuana will become addicted after they start using it.11
Remember 
Recreational marijuana use is not legal in NH. In other states, it is only legal for those 21+. Just because marijuana is legal in some states doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive after using it.
Every two years, the CDC conducts an anonymous survey amongst high school students on health-risk behaviors. In 2023, this survey concluded that as teens got older, they got behind the wheel after using marijuana or got in a vehicle with a driver who has.
Driving after using marijuana can:Underage use of alcohol, marijuana, and other elicit substances is against the law—it also can impact your health, safety, relationships and future.
If alcohol, marijuana, or other substance use is becoming a problem for you—or you’re worried about a friend - you don’t have to figure it out alone. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Reaching out to a trusted adult, counselor, or supportive person can help you get the support you need.
Whether you are looking for more information, worried about a friend, or ready to make a change help is available in New Hampshire.
