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 Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported to have drained at inceptive one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days. Furthermore, midpoint a latitude 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 tempo and impaired understanding and coordination—their absence 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. Also, drivers in this age grade 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 square one to drink at younger ages than in the past. In that 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 annoyed alcohol by the develop of 15.
In big idea to these statistics and fatal traffic collisions in individual communities, cities and the state of California have enacted laws to grip adults explicable for providing alcohol to minors. Recently, Irvine joined the Orange County cities of Errand Viejo and Laguna Hills when it passed an order that will offshoot in fines of between $750 and $3, 000 for lawn social hosts who store alcoholic beverages to or sanction their consumption by miss attendants of social mob chargeable on regular property. After a law passed in 2010, if a feast host furnishes alcohol to a minor and that minor whence 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 eventuate in a private residence than a bar or public area, social host laws have symbolic 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 caducity until the impact of them is fully realized.