Statistic Category: Under 21

Some people propose a 40-hour alcohol education course for teens that would entitle teens to drink before 21. Is this a good idea?

Research shows that education alone doesn’t prevent risky behaviors. For example, driver education by itself does not reduce youth car crashes. Beginning drivers...

Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash.

Hingson, Ralph, et al. “Age of Drinking Onset, Driving After Drinking, and Involvement in Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes.” DOT HS 809 188. Washington,...

About a quarter of car crashes with teens involve an underage drinking driver. Ninety-five percent of the 14 million people who are alcohol dependent began drinking before the legal age of 21.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2013: Overview”. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812169.pdf National Highway Traffic Safety...

Over 40% of all 10th graders drink alcohol.

Miech, R. A., Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2015). Monitoring the Future national survey results...

About one in seven teens binge drinks, yet only 1 in 100 parents believe his or her teen binge drinks.

Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2015). Behavioral health trends in the United States: Results from the 2014 National Survey on Drug...

Teen alcohol use kills 4,300 people each year – that’s more than all illegal drugs combined.

Sacks JJ, Gonzales KR, Bouchery EE, Tomedi LE, Brewer RD. 2010 National and State Costs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption. Am J Prev Med...