| Laws reducing the legal BAG for youth can be | | | | as being in compliance with the act. In addition, 35 |
| strengthened by imposing administrative license | | | | States allow one or more exceptions to |
| revocation for drivers who are arrested with any | | | | possession of alcohol by minors. |
| measurable BAG. A substantial body of research | | | | Once an underage person obtains alcohol, many |
| supports the effectiveness of both administrative | | | | States have unusual provisions related to |
| adjudication and license revocation in reducing | | | | consumption or otherwise do not prohibit |
| crashes among drivers of all ages. | | | | consumption. For example, New Jersey, New |
| The Safety Board believes that States should | | | | York, and Rhode Island prohibit minors from |
| enact comprehensive alcohol purchase laws to | | | | consuming alcohol in licensed establishments, |
| prohibit the purchase, the attempt to purchase, | | | | apparently permitting consumption at other public |
| public possession, and public consumption of | | | | locations. |
| alcohol by minors, and should prohibit the | | | | Most State laws appear to place responsibility for |
| misrepresentation of age and use of false | | | | underage drinking on the seller of alcohol, but not |
| identification by minors to purchase alcohol. | | | | on the underage purchasers who also should be |
| The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 | | | | responsible for their actions. Current laws misplace |
| (NMDA) while including provisions prohibiting the | | | | responsibility, send a mixed message to youth, |
| purchase and public Possession of alcohol, resulted | | | | and impede enforcement. With such deficiencies, it |
| in a uniform national age for the sale of alcohol to | | | | is no surprise that alcohol is readily available to |
| minors. But, five States and the District of | | | | minors and that, as a consequence, alcohol-related |
| Columbia do not prohibit the purchase of alcohol | | | | crashes involving drivers under age 21 continue to |
| by minors. The District of Columbia also does not | | | | occur. |
| prohibit the public possession of alcohol by minors. | | | | To maximize the lives saved from the |
| Notwithstanding the law's purchase and public | | | | establishment of a minimum drinking age, it is |
| possession provisions, these six States and the | | | | essential to reduce alcohol availability and traffic |
| District of Columbia were certified by the National | | | | fatalities, improve State minimum drinking age |
| Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) | | | | laws, and enforce these laws. |