Drunk driving should not be an issue among teenage drivers as the law does not permit people to drink until they turn 21 years of age. However, many people start drinking much younger than that, and, as with some adults, not everyone understands or makes an effort to drink responsibly.
While teenagers have always drunk at parties, and some have always made the mistake of driving home, the way teens drink has changed. A few decades ago, most teenage drank relatively weak beers. While they still managed to get themselves drunk, just how drunk they could get was limited by the amount of liquid their stomach and bladder could contain.
Underage drinkers are increasingly turning to hard liquor
Modern teens still get drunk on beer, but there is an increased tendency to opt for a far faster and more dangerous route – drinking spirits. A recent study asked 16 to 20-year-olds what brands they had drunk in the past month. These were the percentage results:
28% Budweiser Light
17% Smirnoff Malt Beverages
Budweiser 15%
11% Jack Daniels
10% Captain Morgan
10% Absolut Vodka
The beers kids used to drink and still drink have an alcohol content of around 4-5%, as do the malt beverages. Spirits, however, range between 35 and 40%. Anyone drinking something seven to 10 times stronger needs to consume far less. Yet that is not what happens at student parties. There are often games designed to make people drink a lot, fast.
If a car full of teenagers crashes into you, even if the driver seems sober compared to the rest, do not assume they are. Even if they only had one drink, they have still broken the law, which can help you hold them responsible for the wreck and secure the injury compensation you need.
