Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas Blog

The Effect of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws and Drunk Driving Accidents

The National Minimum Drinking Age Act established the minimum legal drinking age at 21.  Before the law was signed in 1984, the minimum legal drinking age ranged from 18 to 21 among the states.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that laws relating to the minimum legal drinking age have contributed to saving more than 900 lives each year. 

Before the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was created, each state had its own law.  In some states, the drinking age was set to 18 or 19, while other states set the minimum age to 21.  Researchers were able to easily identify the impact that the various minimum drinking ages had on accidents.  For example, in the 1970s and 1980s, the number of drunk driving accidents increased dramatically in states that had lower minimum age requirements.  Research has also shown that from 1982 to 1998, the number of alcohol-related crashes has declined by 59 percent. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that the minimum legal drinking age has played a major role in reducing youth drinking and driving.  These laws seem to cut down on youth drinking and encourage young adults to separate drinking from driving.  However, not everyone agrees with this logic.

There have been many critics of minimum legal drinking age laws over the years.  Some of the criticisms have included the following arguments:

• “Nineteen- and twenty-year-olds are drinking anyway. If we legalize it, at least they’ll be drinking in a controlled setting.”
• “Making it illegal to drink until 21 just increases the desire for the ‘forbidden fruit’. When teens turn 21, they’ll drink even more.”
• “The Federal Government is exerting too much authority over the States. The Federal law encouraging States to set the legal drinking age at 21, by withholding highway funds from States that do not do so, is just one example of this.”

Most research has shown these arguments to be unfounded.  If you or someone you love has been injured in a drunk driving accident, contact Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas, LLP at 888-907-2631 for our Warrenton office or 800-741-1012 for our Culpeper office.  We know how devastating these accidents can be and we will do everything possible to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

The article, Drunk Driving Accidents and Minimum Legal Drinking Age, has more information on this subject.

Labels: drunk driver drunk driving drunk driving accident National Minimum Legal Drinking Age