According to a new study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, the number of female drivers arrested for drunk driving has more than doubled in the last twenty years.

In 1980, females accounted for just 9 percent of alcohol-related arrests.  By 2004, that number increased to 20 percent.

The report recommends ways to make it easier for females to participate in treatment programs, including providing child care and single-gender programs.

From the report: “Since the increase in female drunk driving behavior first garnered
attention in the late 1980s6, there have been three main hypotheses regarding factors associated with this phenomenon. These explanations center on changes in female roles in society, changes in social norms, and changes in social control mechanisms.”  You can read the full report here.

What do you think?  Why is drunk driving among females on the rise?