Claim: Lowering the drinking age would not increase drunk driving accidents because by allowing those under 21 to drink it teaches them how to drink responsibly. Controlling how and where the drinking is done can decrease the number of accidents related to alcohol.
Does raising the drinking age reduce drunk driving crashes among young Americans?
Would lowering the drinking age increased drunk driving? Drunk Driving Crashes Reduced Since Drinking Age Was Raised to 21: Study. Raising the minimum drinking age to 21 has been associated with a reduced rate of drunk driving crashes among young Americans, according to a new review of studies.
Why has drinking and driving problems decreased?
Mar 06, 2014 · Lowering the Drinking Age Could Increase Drunk Driving Accident Risks. Since 1988, the drinking age has been set at 21 in all states throughout the country. While some states had a lower legal age for consuming alcohol in the 1970’s, a series of drunk driving crashes prompted the age to be raised to 21 nationwide.
What are the effects of lowering the drinking age to 18?
Raising the minimum drinking age to 21 has been associated with a reduced rate of drunk driving crashes among young Americans, according to a new review of studies. The increased legal drinking age has also led to a reduction in other health threats associated with heavy drinking, including unsafe sex, suicide and dating violence, HealthDay reports.
Is there a minimum drinking age for driving?
Jul 08, 2015 · 3. Fewer drunk driving accidents. While the United States increased the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) to 21, other countries maintained it at 18. When it was time to compare the drunk driving traffic accidents and fatalities, countries with a lower drinking age also has lower traffic accidents than the U.S.
What would happen if the drinking age was lowered?
How would lowering the drinking age help?
What age group is most affected by drunk driving?
Why should the drinking age be lowered to 18 essay?
Why 21 is a good drinking age?
There is also evidence that the age 21 MLDA protects drinkers from alcohol and other drug dependence, adverse birth outcomes, and suicide and homicide.
How does drunk driving affect society?
Economic costs include lost productivity, legal and court expenses, medical costs, insurance bills, traffic congestion, and property damage. Men are involved in more alcohol-related car accidents than women (typically three times as often).
What is the effect of drunk driving?
Impaired driving can cause accidents that lead to paralysis, disfigurement, brain damage, and even death. Impaired driving is also a crime. Drunk drivers often pay significant fines, lose their license, and face higher insurance costs.Oct 25, 2021
What state has the most drunk driving fatalities?
2019 Rank | State | Impaired Driving Deaths per 100,000 |
---|---|---|
1 | Montana | 7.44 |
2 | Wyoming | 5.89 |
3 | South Carolina | 5.72 |
4 | Mississippi | 5.46 |
Is it safe to drink alcohol at a younger age?
But, if they start drinking at a younger age, the safer they will be. The sooner they would also realize that “alcohol has no mystique. It’s no big deal”. Drinking alcohol in regulated environments and with supervision would also reduce the risk of unsafe drinking behavior and activities. 3.
Is 18 a good drinking age?
There are moves to lower the drinking age, however. Many proponents think 18 is a good number, considering that teenagers at this age are practically considered adults.
Is it legal to drink alcohol under 21?
Under the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act [23 U.S.C 158], persons under 21 years of age are prohibited from purchasing alcohol in all 50 U.S. states. Although there are exceptions in certain states when alcohol is consumed at home, under adult supervision, and for medical purposes, ...
What is the age of adulthood?
In the U.S., 18 is the age of adulthood, which means that a teenager who reaches this age will receive rights and responsibilities suitable for their age. They now have the right to vote, serve jury duties, sign contracts, smoke cigarettes, get married, and even prosecuted as an adult.
What is the legal drinking age in the United States?
3. Fewer drunk driving accidents. While the United States increased the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) to 21, other countries maintained it at 18.
Does alcohol affect the frontal lobe of the brain?
As it happens, the brain’s frontal lobe of an 18-year old is still developing and interference from alcohol increases the risk of depression, memory loss , reduced decision-making capacity, and risk-taking behavior, such as addiction, suicide and violence. 2. Comes at serious costs.
What does it mean to turn 18?
Turning 18 would also mean teenagers now have the rights and responsibilities to take care or risk their own life. The choice is really up to them. 2.
How many lives have been saved by raising the drinking age to 21?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that raising the drinking age to 21 has reduced traffic fatalities involving 18- to 20-year-old drivers by 13 percent and has saved an estimated twenty thousand lives from 1975 to 2003. 4
Who is Buddy T?
Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Cara Lustik is a fact checker and copywriter. Back in 2001, when then-President George W. Bush's 19-year-old daughter was cited for underage drinking offenses, the debate about lowering ...
What is the legal drinking age in the US?
All 50 US states have set their minimum drinking age to 21 although exceptions do exist on a state-by-state basis for consumption at home, under adult supervision, for medical necessity, and other reasons. Proponents of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21 argue that it has not stopped teen drinking, ...
Does MLDA 21 increase the number of teens who drink?
[ 38] Lowering MLDA 21 would increase the number of teens who drink and therefore the number of teens who use other drugs. [ 37] [ 39]
Does alcohol affect the frontal lobe?
Alcohol consumption can interfere with development of the young adult brain’s frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. When alcohol consumption interferes with this early adult brain development, the potential for chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide is greater. [ 20] [ 21] [ 22] [ 23]
Why should the age of initiation be higher?
The right to drink should have a higher age of initiation because of the dangers posed by drinking. Many rights in the United States are conferred on citizens at age 21 or older. A person cannot legally purchase a handgun, gamble in a casino (in most states), or adopt a child until age 21, rent a car (for most companies) at age 25, ...
What is the purpose of MLDA 21?
A US district court ruled on Dec. 22, 1978 that MLDA 21 is “reasonably related to a state objective of reducing highway crashes ,” and that MLDA 21 withstands a constitutional challenge on three key legal issues: (1) drinking alcohol is not a “fundamental” right guaranteed by the Constitution, (2) age is not inherently a “suspect” criteria for discrimination (in contrast to race or ethnicity, for example) and (3) using the drinking age to prevent highway crashes has a “rational basis” in available scientific evidence. [ 29]
Why is lowering the drinking age important?
By lowering the drinking age, it would be putting a societal stamp of approval on the damage that alcohol can cause in the developing brain. Emotional development, organization, and planning can all be affected by early and regular alcohol consumption.
What would happen if the drinking age was lowered?
By lowering the drinking age, it would be putting a societal stamp of approval on the damage that alcohol can cause in the developing brain. Emotional development, organization, and planning can all be affected by early and regular alcohol consumption.
Can you drink alcohol under 21?
Despite the age of 21 in the United States, several states have exemptions that allow for alcohol consumption for those under 21. A majority of states allow for private consumption of alcohol. About a dozen states even allow for alcohol consumption for educational purposes! This all has people thinking – would lowering the drinking age be ...
What is the most dangerous age to drink?
One of the most dangerous times for drinking in the United States is between the age of 18 – 20. At the age of 18, people gain all of their legal adult rights… except the right to drink. By allowing even a supervised drinking ability for those in this age bracket, it could reduce or eliminate risky drinking behaviors that can lead to bad decisions.
What is the legal drinking age?
In many countries around the world, the legal drinking age is already 18. In these countries, they have seen a greater reduction of drunken driving accidents than the United States, where the legal age is 21. 3. Lowering the drinking age would eliminate thrill drinking. In the critical 18 – 20 age bracket, there are often binge drinking episodes ...
Can 18 year olds buy alcohol?
Some kids who are 18 aren’t even out of high school yet. Because they would be legally allowed to purchase alcohol, there is likelihood that they would then provide this to their friends who may be underage, increase underage access to liquor.
What age group is binge drinking?
In countries that have a lower drinking age, they report more binge drinking in the under 13 age group, but more responsible behaviors in the critical 18 to 20 age group. In the United States, the reverse is true: there are less young child issues with alcohol, but more issues in the 18 to 20 group.
When did the drinking age go down?
Between 1970-1976, 30 states lowered their Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) from 21 to 18, 19, or 20. 5. The enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age for purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds. 6.
How many states allow underage drinking?
1. Fewer 18-20-year-olds might be drinking, but those that do are drinking more in secret, as well as binge drinking. 2. 29 states already allow underage drinking on private premises if it is with parental consent. 3. 25 states allow for underage drinking if it is done for legal purposes. 4.
Is it legal to drink alcohol at 21?
It’s already legal in many areas of the United States for those under the age of 21 to legally drink. Many times all it takes is a parent’s permission as long as the teen is on their parent’s property. Some states have made it legal to drink for religious purposes.