Chinese Anarachy
...oblem and alcohol-crash risk all reach their peaks with young drivers, with the peaks for fatal crashes occurring at age 21. (NHTSA, 2001) • The highest prevalence of both binge and heavy drinking in 2000 was for young adults aged 18 to 25, with the peak rate occurring at age 21. (SAMHSA, 2000) • The highest intoxication rates in fatal crashes in 2000 were recorded for drivers 21-24 years old (27 percent) followed by ages 25-34 (24 percent) and 35-44 (22 percent). (NHTSA, 2000) • Older drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2000 had the lowest intoxication rate (4 percent) of all adult drivers. (NHTSA, 2000) • One in ten Americans aged 12 and older in 2000 (22.3 million persons) drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the 12 months prior to an interview for a nationwide survey. (SAMHSA, 2000) • Thirty percent of 15-20 year old drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes during 2000 had been drinking. Twenty-one percent were intoxicated. (NHTSA, 2000) • For ages 13-19, 53 percent of the deaths were drivers, 47 percent were passengers. Based only on the driving age population 16-19, 60 percent were drivers, 40 percent were passengers. At ages 13-15, more young people were killed as passengers than as drivers. (IIHS, December 2001) • The intoxication rate for 16 to 20 year old drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2000 was 15 percent. (NHTSA, 2000) • Based on the latest mortality data available (1998), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people from 15 to 20 years old. (NHTSA, 2000) • Twenty-six percent of young male drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2000 had been drinking at the time of the crash, compared with 13 percent of the young female drivers involved in fatal crashes. (NHTSA, 2000 Prom / Graduation Weekend Alcohol-Related Fatalities - 2000 Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities During Prom / Graduation Weekends - 2000 Prom / Graduation Dates Total Traffic Fatalities Total Fatalities Alcohol- Related Percent Alcohol- Related 4/14/00 - 4/16/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 215 137 63.9% 4/21/00 - 4/23/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 207 117 56.7% 4/28/00 - 4/30/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 225 131 58.3% 5/5/00 - 5/7/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 246 136 55.2% 5/12/00 - 5/14/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 237 140 58.9% 5/19/00 - 5/21/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 234 142 60.6% 6/2/00 - 6/4/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 240 138 57.4% 6/9/00 - 6/11/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 268 163 60.9% 6/16/00 - 6/18/00 (6:00 pm Friday to 5:59 pm Sunday) 210 122 58% *Souce - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data Drunk Driving is becoming a major concern in our society today. Drunk driving is not a funny thing. It has killed many people and ruined the lives of many others. There are many stupid reasons drunk driving occurs. I believe the main one is just pure stupidity. Teenagers most likely will drink in their lifetime. After that happens, they need to know that they are not capable of driving. This knowledge could prevent many accidents. Drinking is not necessarily a bad thing, if you are a responsible drinker. I think that if you know your going to a party and there is going to be alcohol, then you can reserve a ride before the party takes place. It’s all about taking responsibility for your own actions. It seems so ridiculous that people don’t have the common sense to know they can cause mass destruction if they are drunk behind the wheel. It’s a terrible thing to know that you can be killed because of somebody else’s stupidity. Last year, my cousin was hit by a drunk driver while driving with his friends to the movies. Luckily he was not seriously hurt, but his li...