Evaluation of Minimum Drinking Age Laws Using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System

摘要

The report analyzes driver injury data collected by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from October 1978 through December 1980. Nighttime driver injury rates in States with lower legal drinking age (18-19 years old) were compared to the injury rates in States with higher legal drinking age (20-21 years old). Drivers under 21 years old in States with lower legal drinking age had a significantly greater nighttime serious injury rate than in States with higher legal drinking age. There was no significant difference in the daytime serious injury rate of drivers under 21 years old for the two levels of legal drinking age. Drivers over 24 years old in the lower legal drinking age States had significantly greater daytime and nighttime serious injury rates than in the higher legal drinking age States. The serious injury rates for drivers between 21 and 24 years old were unaffected by legal drinking age.