Bauer has addressed a societal problem in Rules of the Road. Alcoholism destroys families, friendships, and futures. How different people handle the problem of alcoholism can be seen through the characters of Jenna, her father, her mother, and Harry Bender. In addition, the reader learns about organizations that help alcoholics and their families.

An equally difficult subject, divorce also plays a significant role in Rules of the Road.

Children and adolescents react in different ways to divorce and living in a single parent family. Like many American teenagers, Jenna must deal with negative aspects of divorce, including taking on more responsibility for her younger sister, acting at times more like a mother than an older sibling. However, the model we see in Jenna's family is generally a positive one.