Myths vs Reality of Underage Drinking

Myth:
Allowing teenage parties in your home keeps your teen and their friends safe by not allowing them to drive.
Reality:
Only one-third of underage drinking deaths involve auto crashes. The remaining two-thirds involve alcohol poisoning, homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries such as burns, drowning and falls. Taking away the car keys doesn't make underage drinking safe.

Myth:
In Europe, youth drink more responsibly than in the U.S.
Reality:
According to data collected from 15- and 16-year-olds in 35 European countries, European kids actually drink more often, drink more heavily and get drunk more often than American teens. Only in Turkey are teen drinking rates lower than in the U.S.

Myth:

If we changed the minimun drinking age back to 18 instead of 21, it would reduce problems with underage drinking.
Reality:
Researchers consider the 21 minimum drinking age one of the most successful public safety & public health policies in U.S. history. Since the minimum drinking age was changed to 21 in 1984, deaths from drinking and driving accidents have decreased by thousands, saving an estimated 20,000 lives.

In addition, youth are still developing both physically and mentally until around 25 years of age. Much is now known about the affects of alcohol on the developing brain, such as how alcohol can limit future potential and that youth are more susceptible to acohol abuse. Youth also think differently. We now know the portion of the brain that controls impulse and reasoning is one of the last sections of the brain to fully develop. No one knows this better than the auto insurance industry--just try to insure a driver under the age of 25!

So, why take this unneccessary risk?