Problem parents -- those who fail to monitor their children's school night activities, safeguard their prescription drugs, address the problem of drugs in their children's schools, and set good examples -- increase the risk that their 12- to 17-year-old children will smoke, drink, and use illegal and prescription drugs, according to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIII: Teens and Parents, the 13th annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

"This year's survey reveals that too many mothers and fathers are problem parents who fail to take essential steps to prevent their kids from smoking, drinking or using drugs. By their actions -- and inactions -- by failing to become part of the solution, these parents become part of the problem of teen alcohol and drug abuse," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA's chairman and president and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. "Indeed, these problem parents enable -- some even encourage -- their 12- to 17-year-olds to use and abuse tobacco, alcohol, and illegal and prescription drugs."

Driving under the influence of drugs, also known as drugged driving, is a growing problem in many countries. In the United States alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 17,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2006. Studies have also found that drugs were used by 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol.

Research into drugged driving and its effects on traffic safety has been hampered by a lack of standard techniques for studies in the field. There simply is no proven on-the-spot way to test drivers—in other words, there is no drug “breathalyzer” technology and no standard measurements to evaluate drugged driving.