Drinking Age 21 A Problem Solver?

Problem: 7 countries world wide have a drinking age of 21 (193 countries on earth) 7 countries world wide have a drinking age of 21 (193 countries on earth) Persons who are 18 or older are considered adults, can marry, serve in the military, vote, enter into legal contracts, and shoulder adult responsibilities: no equality since no right to drink Persons who are 18 or older are considered adults, can marry, serve in the military, vote, enter into legal contracts, and shoulder adult responsibilities: no equality since no right to drink Social Problem: Friends of age 20 and 21 get separated Social Problem: Friends of age 20 and 21 get separated Excessive drinking when 21, even more addicts than in other countries Excessive drinking when 21, even more addicts than in other countries Teenagers see alcohol as a “mature” thing since you have to be 21 => They are tempted to drink earlier to become “mature” Teenagers see alcohol as a “mature” thing since you have to be 21 => They are tempted to drink earlier to become “mature” Drinking itself is seen as a problem: the real problem is drinking abusively Drinking itself is seen as a problem: the real problem is drinking abusively

Officially Reported Proportion of Fatal Crashes Involving Alcohol Italy1% Drinking: 16 Driving: 18 Luxembourg4% Drinking: 17 Driving 18 Belgium8% Drinking: 15 Driving: 18 The Netherlands8% Drinking 16 Driving: 18 Sweden9% Both 18 United Kingdom15% Drinking 18 Driving 17 Germany20% Drinking 16 Driving 18 Finland25% Both 18 Spain26% Drinking 16 Driving 18 Denmark29% Both 18 France40% Drinking 16 Driving 18 Source: Directorate General for Transport of the European Commission 1995

The rate for 1995 reported in the US was 41.2%

Students get not responsible through age but their own experience

A seemingly implicit assumption in most studies of teen traffic safety is that the increased MLDA unambiguously saved lives by delaying alcohol availability until young adulthood when alcohol would be consumed responsibly. However, this perspective may overstate the gains to higher MLDA if young drivers learn about the responsible use of alcohol largely through their own experiences and those of their peers. More specifically, the existence of learning-by-doing raises the disturbing possibility that policies, which keep teens away from alcohol, may to some degree simply shift the attendant mortality risks to young adulthood (Michael A. Males, 1986; Peter Asch and David T. Levy, 1987, 1990).

Solution Lowering the Drinking age Lowering the Drinking age Drinking problems are reduced when young people learn at home from their parents how to drink in a moderate and responsible manner Drinking problems are reduced when young people learn at home from their parents how to drink in a moderate and responsible manner Lowering the drinking age would clarify that drinking is not evidence of maturity but responsible consumption. Lowering the drinking age would clarify that drinking is not evidence of maturity but responsible consumption.