Preventing Drinking and Driving

At Cal State Fullerton, alcohol is not a necessary, or common, part of the college experience, according to a 2009 Prevention Research Center Safer Schools Survey. 

The survey results showed that 77 percent of the respondents drink moderately, or not all. 

To continue reinforcing the message about the dangers of alcohol use, as well as drinking and driving to students, Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol, the Student Health and Counseling Center, and Peer Health University Network are presenting a weeklong series of activities that focus on reducing high-risk drinking and related negative consequences. The event kicks off Monday, Oct. 18, and continues through Oct. 22. 

“Our goal is to reduce unsafe alcohol consumption and related problems among our student body. We’re committed to providing students with a safe learning and living environment,” said Kandy Mink Salas, dean of students. 

A free, public panel discussion on preventing driving under the influence of alcohol will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Titan Student Union. Other event highlights include a resource fair with campus and community organizations; a golf cart obstacle course where students can participate in a simulation of driving under the influence of alcohol; and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will host an exhibit of a vehicle involved in an alcohol-related accident.

Alcohol Prevention Studies

Over the last decade, Cal State Fullerton has participated in research studies to tackle the issue of alcohol use among college students. Additionally, in 2001 the Alcohol and Other Drug Advisory Committee was established on campus to create proactive and effective alcohol education, prevention and intervention programs. 

The campus is among 14 California State University and University of California campuses participating in an ongoing study to help identify the most effective ways of preventing and responding to heavy alcohol consumption by college students. Funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the “Safer California Universities: A Multi-Campus Alcohol Problem Prevention Study” is being conducted by the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley. The effort’s focus is to collect data on alcohol and other drug use on campuses. 

“The study is designed to evaluate and prevent alcohol-related problems on college campuses,” said Mary Becerra, director of health education and promotion. “This study also examines interventions that can be implemented both on campus and in the communities surrounding the campus.” 

For the Safer California Universities study, Cal State Fullerton served as a control site over a seven-year period. Student surveys conducted from 2003-09 focused on drinking patterns, perceptions, binge drinking, as well as other issues related to alcohol and illegal drug use. The effort was funded through a $135,000 grant. 

“The study shows that drinking rates at Cal State Fullerton have remained lower than the averages of colleges and universities across the country,” Becerra said. “This is largely due to the university’s proactive approach to keep this issue on the radar of the campus community.” 

Research also found that Cal State Fullerton students not only drink less and less often compared to their peers across the country, but they engage in protective behaviors when drinking, such as avoiding drinking games, and setting limits of how much they will drink, Becerra explained. 

In addition, the university is participating in the second phase of the study to implement intervention strategies, including enforcement and awareness programs. The university has received $9,600 in first-year funding in support of the project, part of a five-year grant totaling $48,000 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Caption: The “Titan Up the Party” campaign promotes legal and responsible alcohol use.

Projects include the “Titan Up the Party” campaign to promote legal and responsible alcohol use, decreased driving under the influence, party and merchant compliance enforcement on campus and in the neighboring community, and the Alcohol Awareness Week event. 

“It’s important for college campuses to hold awareness activities within the first 10 weeks of the fall semester when students — especially freshmen and new students joining Greek organizations — are the most vulnerable to engage in high-risk drinking,” Becerra said.

Oct. 15, 2010