ILLINOIS TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAMS: REPORT OF EVALUATION OR ASSESSMENT-ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT ON TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS OF THE LOWERING OF THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE IN ILLINOIS

Comparison of drivers in fatal accidents for the period 1971-72 (before the legal drinking age reduction) with the period 1974-75 (after the age reduction) shows a rapid increase in the rate of teenage and young drivers (15-24 yrs.) involvement; but the greatest area of relative increase has been in the 19-20-year-old category. The legal drinking age was lowered from 21 to 19 in October 1973. At approximately the same age, this group also received their drivers' licenses. Teenage involvement rates for fatal, injury, and total traffic accidents were studied. The data that were considered are discussed, and the results are detailed in graphs and tables.

• Corporate Authors:

  Illinois Department of Transportation

  Division of Traffic Safety, 2300 South Dirksen Parkway
  Springfield, IL  United States  62764
• Publication Date: 1976-12

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 25 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age; Driver licensing; Drivers; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Fatalities; Impact studies; Injuries; Laws; Teenage drivers; Traffic crashes
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00157203
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1978 12:00AM