Apart from health hazards, alcohol and drug consumption of youths and young adults represents a big problem - especially in road traffic. The number of accidents of young male and female novice drivers is – according to accident statistics of all European countries – above the average, although the number of road traffic accidents is decreasing annually. E.g. in Germany, the age group of 18 to 24 years causes about 25% of the accidents under the influence of alcoho and around 32% of the accidents under the influence of drugs, although they represent only 8% of the population. Road accidents are the main cause of death for young people. In the „PEER-Projekt an Fahrschulen“ young people (peers of the same age) meet learner drivers in driving schools during a 60 to 90 minutes long, additional unit in the framework of the theoretical driving school education and inform them about hazards of alcohol and drugs in road traffic. They also reflect own (and sometimes critical) consumption behaviour. Within these peer units peer educators and novice drivers together work out individual and practical strategies and rules in order to avoid drunk and/or drug driving when participating in road traffic. The project is currently implemented in 10 federal Laender in Germany and in 5 European Countries. In Germany we reach with this approach around 10.000 novice drivers in around 1.100 peer units in driving schools per year. In Germany around 200 peer educators are active to moderate such peer units in driving schools. The approach has been also proven as effective due to evaluation results of a control-intervention-group study design. It shows moreover that peer education measures can be effective.
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