REDUCED BAC LIMITS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (IMPACT ON NIGHT FATAL CRASHES)

Since 1983 nine states have passed laws that lower the legal BAC level for adolescent drivers. This paper examines fatal crash data in the 4 states that passed laws before 1989 and have accrued sufficient data for evaluation. Adolescent and adult night fatal crash trends were compared in these states and 4 nearby states with similar drinking age laws, but which did not lower BAC levels for teen drivers. Equal numbers of pre- and post-law years were examined in each of the four pairs of states. In the 4 states that lowered their BAC levels for teens there was a 34% post-law decline in night fatal crashes among adolescents targeted by lower BAC levels. Among adults there was 7% declne in night fatal crashes. In comparison states there was a 26% decline in adolescent night fatal crashes and a 9% decline in adult night fatal crashes. As a group, states that lowered their BAC levels for adolescents had significantly greater post-law reductions in nignt fatal crashes among adolescents relative to adults (p smaller than 0.05) than was observed in comparison states. This early evidence from the first 4 states to lower adolescent legal limits suggests this law may help to reduce adolescent involvement in alcohol-related fatal crashes.

• Corporate Authors:

  Brain Information Service

  California University, Center for Health Science
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90024
• Authors:
  • Hingson, R
  • Heeren, T
  • HOWLAND, J
  • Winter, M
• Publication Date: 1991-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 117-127
• Serial:
  • ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND DRIVING
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue Number: 2

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Before and after studies; Blood alcohol levels; Fatalities; Laws; Legal drinking age; Night; Safety; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00615139
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-041 201
• Files: HSL, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1992 12:00AM