Presidents from about 100 colleges and universities across the United States are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the legal drinking age. They believe the current drinking laws actually encourage rather than discourage college students from drinking heavily. The current legal drinking age is 21.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
• There were 3,490 teen driving deaths (ages 15-20) in 2006.
• 31% of the teen drivers killed that year had been drinking.
• Auto accidents are a main cause of teen deaths.
• Nationally, 12,998 people died in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle collisions in 2007.
• 890 of those fatalities took place in Florida.
The college presidents are part of the Amethyst Initiative. Members of the movement believe that college students are more likely to drink if alcohol consumption is illegal for them.
Statistics Regarding College Drinking:
• Over 40% of college students exhibit at least one sign of alcohol dependence or abuse.
• Over 500,000 college students a year are involved in alcohol-related accidents.
• Some 1,700 students a year die in accidents where drinking was a factor.
• Many college students drink heavily on their 21st birthdays-with men drinking an average of 12 drinks and women consuming 9 drinks to mark the occasion.
Not everyone is in agreement that lowering the legal drinking age will save more lives and prevent injuries. Mothers Against Drunk Driving say decreasing the legal drinking age will lead to more deadly motor vehicle crashes.
Drunk driving accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries for the driver, passengers, and others on the road. Drunk driving is a crime and it is also negligent driving.
College Presidents Want Lower Drinking Age, NYSun.com, August 19, 2008
Students mark 21st birthdays with ‘extreme’ drinking binges, USA Today.com, August 27, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Amethyst Initiative
2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment-Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities (PDF)
If you or your loved one was seriously injured in a Florida drunk driving accident, Halberg & Fogg PLLC, Attorneys at Law would like to talk to you.