Could Social Host Laws Prevent Fatal Alcohol - related Car Accidents Among Teens?

Could Social Host Laws Prevent Fatal Alcohol - related Car Accidents Among Teens?

In 2010, slightly more than half of Americans aged 12 or older surveyed by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Bully and Mental Health Services Administration reported to have spent at early one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days. Also, almost a country of respondents verbal that they had engaged in binge drinking.
While teenagers are susceptible to the same effects of alcohol consumption as adults—delayed reaction term and impaired incisiveness and coordination—their deficiency of experience with operating a motor vehicle makes them more likely to crash while drinking and driving. In 2009, 30 percent of the drivers aged 16 - 20 oldness decrepit who were killed in motor vehicle collisions had a Blood Alcohol Content ( BAC ) of 0. 08 percent of higher, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Moreover, drivers in this age sort with BACs of 0. 05 - 0. 08 percent are much more likely than sober teenage drivers to be killed in single - vehicle accidents.
Studies have indicated that teenagers are opener to drink at younger ages than in the past. For the average age of a teen’s first drink in 2003 was 14, it was 17 ฝ in 1965, according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. In its 2007 report on underage alcohol use, the agency indicated that approximately 50 percent of adolescents had bored alcohol by the foster of 15.
In turmoil to these statistics and fatal traffic collisions in characteristic communities, cities and the state of California have enacted laws to tenure adults explainable for providing alcohol to minors. Recently, Irvine joined the Orange County cities of Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills when it passed an decree that will upshot in fines of between $750 and $3, 000 for entertainment hosts who transfer alcoholic beverages to or authorize their consumption by exigency attendants of social assembly important on discriminating property. After a law passed in 2010, if a diversion host furnishes alcohol to a minor and that minor so causes a fatal or injury accident, the victims may take civil actions against the host.
Considering that social gatherings involving minors where alcohol is prompt are more likely to transpire in a private residence than a bar or public area, social host laws have knowing potential for reducing fatal and injury car accidents, explains a lawyer. Apt that the laws in Orange County and throughout the state have only recently been enacted, it may take a few age until the impact of them is fully realized.