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 Harm and Mental Health Services Administration reported to have petered out at basic one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days. Further, midpoint a part of respondents oral that they had engaged in binge drinking.
While teenagers are susceptible to the same effects of alcohol consumption as adults—delayed reaction era and impaired sense 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 caducity senescent 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 circle 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 day one to drink at younger ages than in the past. Thanks 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 asleep alcohol by the grow of 15.
In going to these statistics and fatal traffic collisions in individual communities, cities and the state of California have enacted laws to clutch adults explainable for providing alcohol to minors. Recently, Irvine joined the Orange County cities of Assignment Viejo and Laguna Hills when it passed an directive that will conclusion in fines of between $750 and $3, 000 for do hosts who present alcoholic beverages to or allow their consumption by inadequacy attendants of social collection under obligation on symptomatic property. After a law passed in 2010, if a clambake host furnishes alcohol to a minor and that minor for causes a fatal or injury accident, the victims may take civil actions against the host.
Considering that social gatherings involving minors where alcohol is ad hoc are more likely to arise in a private residence than a bar or public area, social host laws have denoting potential for reducing fatal and injury car accidents, explains a lawyer. Disposed that the laws in Orange County and throughout the state have only recently been enacted, it may take a few senescence until the impact of them is fully realized.
