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 Injure and Mental Health Services Administration reported to have irritated at beginning one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days. Further, partly a hole 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 lifetime and impaired genius and coordination—their need 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 senescence ancient 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. Further, drivers in this age assemblage 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 origin to drink at younger ages than in the past. Whereas 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 burned out alcohol by the promote of 15.
In process to these statistics and fatal traffic collisions in emblematic communities, cities and the state of California have enacted laws to control adults chrgeable for providing alcohol to minors. Recently, Irvine joined the Orange County cities of Assignment Viejo and Laguna Hills when it passed an dictate that will completion in fines of between $750 and $3, 000 for tear hosts who supply alcoholic beverages to or sanction their consumption by miss attendants of social collection in control on appropriate property. After a law passed in 2010, if a party host furnishes alcohol to a minor and that minor since 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. Inured that the laws in Orange County and throughout the state have only recently been enacted, it may take a few years until the impact of them is fully realized.