Binge Drinkers Often Drive Drunk, Researchers Say

A study of 14,000 binge drinkers found that 12 percent admitted driving after their most recent episode of heavy alcohol consumption, the Associated Press reported Sept. 1.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also found that about half of those who drove drunk did so within two hours of consuming seven or more drinks, and that about a quarter drove after downing 10 drinks or more.

About half of binge drinkers who drove under the influence had been drinking at a bar, restaurant, or nightclub. Researchers called for states to more rigorously enforce laws against establishments overserving their customers.

The study is scheduled to be published in the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.