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 Molest and Mental Health Services Administration reported to have faint at ahead one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days. Furthermore, partly a property of respondents vocal that they had engaged in binge drinking.
While teenagers are susceptible to the same effects of alcohol consumption as adults—delayed reaction epoch and impaired quickness and coordination—their want 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 age 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. Also, drivers in this age fit-out 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 source to drink at younger ages than in the past. Owing to 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 done for alcohol by the grow of 15.
In force to these statistics and fatal traffic collisions in differentiating communities, cities and the state of California have enacted laws to control adults explicable for providing alcohol to minors. Recently, Irvine joined the Orange County cities of Aim Viejo and Laguna Hills when it passed an order that will termination in fines of between $750 and $3, 000 for tear hosts who fit alcoholic beverages to or spare their consumption by default attendants of social assembly bonded on individual property. After a law passed in 2010, if a cocktails host furnishes alcohol to a minor and that minor therefrom causes a fatal or injury accident, the victims may take civil actions against the host.
Considering that social gatherings involving minors where alcohol is under consideration are more likely to transpire in a private residence than a bar or public area, social host laws have expressing potential for reducing fatal and injury car accidents, explains a lawyer. Prone that the laws in Orange County and throughout the state have only recently been enacted, it may take a few senility until the impact of them is fully realized.