RAISING THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE IN MICHIGAN AND MAINE

Previous research has shown that increased alcohol availability associated with reductions in legal minimum age for purchase of alcoholic beverages resulted in increased alcohol-related traffic crash involvement among young drivers. In the late 1970s, Michigan raised the drinking age from 18 to 21, and Maine from 18 to 20, providing natural experiments reducing alcohol availability. Effects of the raised drinking age on motor vehicle crash involvement were evaluated using a tri-level hierarchical multiple time-series design. Results revealed a significant 20% reduction in alcohol-related injury-producing crash involvement among 18-20-year-old Michigan drivers directly attributable to the higher drinking age; alcohol-related property damage crashes decreased 17% for this age group. Maine drivers age 18-19 experienced a 20% reduction in alcohol-related property damage crash involvement attributable to the raised drinking age. It is concluded that the legal minimum drinking age has a significant effect on alcohol-related motor vehicle crash involvement among young drivers. Implications of the findings for beverage alcohol availability theory and public policy concerning the prevention of alcohol-related problems are included.

• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Safety Research Institute

  Huron Parkway and Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109

  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

  Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane
  Rockville, MD  United States  20852
• Authors:
  • Wagenaar, A C
  • Douglass, R L
  • Compton, C P
  • Pettis, L C
• Publication Date: 1981-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 367 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Drivers; Legal drinking age; Public policy; Teenage drivers; Time series analysis; Traffic crashes
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00366806
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UM-HSRI-81-58 Final Rpt., HS-032 940
• Contract Numbers: H84 AA 04794-01
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 30 1982 12:00AM