How Some States Rank In Teenage Drunk Driving

Many California residents are aware of the National Minimum Legal Drinking Act. This act mandates that a person needs to be over 21 years of age in order to consume alcohol in the US. Violating this act can bring about different forms of punishment. Despite having us act in place, there are still a large number of teenagers who consume alcohol.

It seems that more teenagers drive after drinking than adults. Data from the CDC shows that 5.5 percent of teenagers have operated a motor vehicle after drinking any alcohol while 3.1 percent of adults have been behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. Unfortunately, the results are often disastrous. In the year 2017, just over 10,000 drunk driving fatalities were reported in the US.

One report shows that certain states have higher drinking and motor vehicle accident rates among teenagers than others. Arkansas has ranked the worst. Over 10 percent of teenagers have driven after consuming alcohol. Over 26 percent of teens have been in the same vehicle with a driver who was under the influence of alcohol. Just over 25 percent of teens consumed alcohol. Just over three percent of adults in the state have driven after heavy drinking, causing 4.8 deaths out of 100,000 people.

That report involved 15 states. Other states that ranked high in the worst place list are Louisiana and Arkansas. States that rated well with respects to teens drinking and driving were Arizona and Connecticut.

Car accident injuries are common when teens and others decide to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. An individual who is the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver or a distracted driver may decide to seek legal advice from a lawyer. The lawyer might be able to help the victim seek compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical bills related to their injury. Attorneys may even be able to represent their client in court if it is necessary.