Does the legal drinking age affect the number of driving accidents that involve alcohol in New
Abstract: This is a 10-page paper discussing: Does the legal drinking age affect the number of driving accidents that involve alcohol in New Jersey Introduction: Does the legal drinking age affect the number of driving accidents that involve alcohol in New Jersey? This paper will examine the problem of alcohol related accidents, underage drinking and its effects on the number of driving accidents in New Jersey and nationwide. ... Department of Transportation, (NHTSA), there were 2,160 teen drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2001 (latest available statistics) The measure represents the total number of people (occupants and non-occupants) killed in crashes in which at least one teenage (16-20) driver had a BAC of . ... While teens killed because of drinking and driving remains unacceptable at any number, the total represents a 35% decline since 1990 and a full 60% since 1982. (NHTSA 2003) Figures 1 and 2 are from the NHTSA showing a graph that charts the number and percentage of crash fatalities involving drivers between the ages of 16 to 20 year olds and what percentage of those crashes were alcohol related. The charts show both the number and percentages in both alcohol and non-alcohol related crash fatalities as both percentage and raw numbers. ... 4% of all 16 through 20 year-old fatal driving accidents were due to alcohol nationally. ... The latest figures from the organization MADD, (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) show that of the 747 traffic related deaths in 2001 in New Jersey, 297 were alcohol related deaths, or 40%. Of the 297 alcohol related deaths, 87 were of drivers between the ages of 15-20 (MADD 2003). ... 3% of all alcohol related traffic fatalities in the state in a population that only comprises 5. ... While exact figures are unavailable for the Burlington Township, approximations of current alcohol related driving offenses bear out a similar percentage of teenaged, or underage driving under the influence abuse. ... New Jersey police report 7,584 crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Formulas developed by NHTSA were used to estimate the number of alcohol-related crashes where the police do not report alcohol involvement. An estimated total of 38,700 crashes in New Jersey involved alcohol. ... The following is an estimated breakdown of alcohol related accidents in New Jersey: In 2001, New Jersey drivers with: BACs of . ... 08 were involved in an estimated 1,200 crashes that killed 57 and injured 400 Alcohol is a factor in 13% of New Jersey crash costs.