Research Into Action - State Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws and Impaired Driving Policies Save Lives

630.8 KB pdf

Fatalities from operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol remain a significant problem and community concern in the United States. A study published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research provides further support that enacting and enforcing state minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws and impaired-driving policies reduces alcohol-related fatal crashes among young drivers. The findings in this research highlight the need for all states to implement such laws. The research underscores the continued need for community coalitions to focus efforts on advocating and enforcing state MLDA laws, to enact local related policy and to strengthen existing state laws.

How did they do it?
Using 23 years of data gathered from 1982 through 2004 by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Westlaw database and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) database on licensing systems, James C. Fell and colleagues analyzed the effects of six key underage drinking laws (Graduated Drivers Licensing with nighttime restriction, use and lose, keg registration, Zero Tolerance, and possession and purchase laws) and four general impaired-driving and traffic safety laws (seat belt laws, 0.08 BAC per se, 0.10 BAC per se and Administrative License Revocation) on alcohol-related fatal crashes among young people in the United States. A model was created and tested to determine the relationship between these laws and the reported fatal crash incidence rates in each state for those aged twenty and younger.

What did they find?
Of the six underage drinking laws they looked at, the researchers found that four types of laws (possession, purchase, use and lose, and zero tolerance) save a substantial number of lives among those aged twenty and younger each year. This finding means that the states that have implemented such laws see a decrease in the percentage of young drivers who lose their lives on their roads while under the influence of alcohol.

More specifically, possession and purchase laws saw a 16% reduction, and the use and lose and zero tolerance laws each resulted in a 5% reduction of fatal crashes among young drivers. When used in combination, the researchers estimated that these laws save approximately 864 young lives each year.

In addition to the positive effects of the underage drinking laws, three of the four general impaired-driving and traffic safety laws that apply to both young people and adults also significantly reduced traffic crash fatalities among young people. Seat belt laws, administrative license revocation, and the 0.08 BAC per se all contributed to young lives saved each year.

Source: Fell JC, Fisher DA, Voas RB, Blackman K, Tippetts AS (2009) The impact of underage drinking laws on alcohol-related fatal crashes of young drivers. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 33(7): 1208-1219.

What can coalitions do?

Work closely with and support your local law enforcement to enforce the MLDA laws in your community.
While the core MLDA laws (purchase and possession) exist in all states, the additional laws have not been adopted in every state and when they are, their strength and enforcement vary. This research and past research continues to demonstrate that a variety of MLDA laws are proven effective in reducing young alcohol-related vehicle fatalities and therefore must be enforced. Research the MLDA laws in your state as well as any supporting laws enacted at the local level and determine if they are being enforced effectively. Work in partnership with law enforcement to close any gaps. Enforcement needs to be consistent and highly visible in order to be effective.

Increase awareness about the MLDA laws to young people in your community.
Many young people may not be aware of all of the laws related to underage drinking in their state and community. Coalitions can work with young people as well as local media to create and sustain awareness of the community laws and regulations and publicize and make visible the enforcement around the issue. It is important to create the norm among young people that penalties are certain if they break the law.

Work to enact policy locally to address loopholes in your state laws.
Advocate for ordinances that limit access and availability of alcohol to young people in your community. For example, some might include creating noise ordinances to address underage drinking parties, or limit the hours establishments can sell alcohol when they have consistently sold to minors and failed compliance checks. Find out what other communities have done and use their successfully enacted ordinances to help support policy change in your local jurisdiction.

Additional Resources:

Visit the Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) website (http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/) to get detailed information on a wide variety of alcohol-related policies in the United States at both State and Federal levels.

For more information about alcohol control policy, visit the Alcohol Epidemiology Program (AEP) website (www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol). Its mission is to discover effective community and policy interventions to reduce alcohol-related social and health problems.