Do you remember your first taste of alcohol? How old were you? Twenty-one? All 50 states currently demand that their citizens reach age 21 before they can legally drink. But there's a growing movement that says mandatory minimum laws may do more harm than good. When determining the right date when a young person can take one of their final steps towards personal responsibility and freedom, what's the right answer?
Both research and the hands-on experience of state highway safety agencies indicate that this law has saved countless lives. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) estimates nearly 25,000 teen traffic deaths have been prevented by age-21 laws. In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) examined 49 peer-reviewed studies on the effects of changing the minimum drinking age law. Almost every study found that increasing the minimum drinking age to 21 saved lives, with an average decrease in traffic fatalities of 16 percent. The studies also showed that lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 or 19 caused an average increase in crashes by 8 to 10 percent. If states lower the drinking age again, more teens will drink and drive and more will die.
Next Argument
5
5
8
3
4
3
4
4
6
4
1
5
4
5
8
3
4
3
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
Expert Verified
Link