Alcohol-related highway death is the biggest killer of teenagers and young adults and is the major cause of all traffic accidents involving young drivers. Alcohol use is also associated with homicides, suicides, and drownings, other major causes of adolescent deaths. Statistics show that about one-third of high school seniors and 40 percent of college students engage in binge drinking and many surveys show alcohol to be a leading problem in schools across the country. Groups with the highest teenage drinking rates include white and American Indian male and female high school seniors, and Mexican-American males. Nondrinking rates are highest among blacks and Asian-Americans. Young people are most likely to drink beer and wine coolers; about two-thirds of young drinkers purchase their own alcoholic beverages or have older friends buy it for them. Most studies show that teenagers hold serious misconceptions about the negative effects alcohol consumption can have. Drug and alcohol use are often related; early onset of alcohol use is a high-risk factor for later alcohol- and drug-related problems. 4 figures and 19 references