On May 3, 1980, Candice Lightner’s thirteen year old daughter was killed by a 46-year-old drunk driver. Since her daughter’s passing Lightner founded and organized a nonprofit organization call Mothers Against Drunk Driving or (MADD). This organization had its greatest success with forcing the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984 to 21 years old by threatening states to lose 10 percent of all federal highway construction funds. However, in 2009, 35 percent of 21 to 25 year old age group has the highest percent of drunk driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.8 or higher. Car collisions and accidents are most common among newly legal drinkers. Since the drinking age has been risen it has not stopped underage drinking but has encouraged binge drinking. Allowing 18 to 20 year olds to drink alcohol in regulated environments with …show more content…
Alcohol consumption encourages young adults to use false identification which promotes to disrespect the law. The main reason why they changed the drinking age was to stop unsafe driving but allowing 18 to 20 years old to drink alcohol in regulated environments with supervisors would increase unsafe drinking. By setting the drinking age back to 18 years old it would diminish the thrill of breaking law to get a drink. The drinking age of 21 has not stopped younger adults from drinking, but has instead pushed them to binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, which lead to more health and life endangering behavior by teens. If young adults are able to purchase an alcoholic beverage with a responsible parent that will supervise they will know their limitations and make it easier to regulate consumption among younger adults as well as encourage healthy drinking habits. Remember that the rate of drunk driving is highest among 21 to 25 year olds; by lowering the drinking age we could educate young adults about responsible drinking and being safe while doing