Consequences Of Lowering Drinking Age To 18
Lowering the drinking age to 18 will have serious consequences such as the increase in traffic fatalities. According to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, “in the United States in 2007, the death toll from teenage drunk-driving accidents was 1,393 – nearly four fatalities every day of the year.” (Drinking and Driving, 2006-2015). At such youthful age, these teens are not responsible enough to know that they should not drink and drive. They assume that they are perfectly fine after consuming alcohol, and thinks that it is ok for them to drive, until they find themselves inside a morgue. It was stated by the American Journal of Public Health that “the lower minimum legal drinking age was followed by increases in sale and consumption of alcohol
and in alcohol-involved traffic fatalities, particularly among young adults 18-20 years. On the basis of these unintended health consequences of the lowering drinking age, some states reinstated the minimum legal drinking age of 21 years.” (Wechsler, 2015). Allowing these teens to drink will forced parents to bury their children sooner than they expected. It shouldn’t have to be that way, these teenagers need to enjoy life as much as they can because it won’t always be like that. If they are allowed to drive at 16 and then allowed to drink at 18, society is forcing way more responsibilities than they can manage and driving them to their death. In order to reduce drunk driving fatalities, society should spread awareness on the consequences of alcohol consumption amongst teenagers, so that when they are at the legal drinking age, they will be more mindful, more careful, responsible and more cautious.
and in alcohol-involved traffic fatalities, particularly among young adults 18-20 years. On the basis of these unintended health consequences of the lowering drinking age, some states reinstated the minimum legal drinking age of 21 years.” (Wechsler, 2015). Allowing these teens to drink will forced parents to bury their children sooner than they expected. It shouldn’t have to be that way, these teenagers need to enjoy life as much as they can because it won’t always be like that. If they are allowed to drive at 16 and then allowed to drink at 18, society is forcing way more responsibilities than they can manage and driving them to their death. In order to reduce drunk driving fatalities, society should spread awareness on the consequences of alcohol consumption amongst teenagers, so that when they are at the legal drinking age, they will be more mindful, more careful, responsible and more cautious.