The Drinking Age Should be Lowered to 18

[Charade]

Then why is the rate (not necessarily the number!) of drink driving in the USA far higher than most other western countries? Technically fewer young people have little/no access to alcohol in the USA...

Is the rate of teen driving higher in the US? It might be a combination of things such as driving at an earlier age, more driving time per teen and lack of education. I don't think there are many teens in the US that knows you shouldn't drink and drive. It really is a matter of "just say no" to it. Do shock ads (such as the one you linked to) work to reduce drink driving (that's such an odd phrase) in the UK?

 

[bluefairy13]

I really have nothing else to say about alcoholism, teen drinking or drunk driving because to me that is not the issue.

This is from the Libertarian Party platform. It says everything I have to say.

The Issue: Personal responsibility is discouraged by government denying individuals the opportunity to exercise it. In fact, the denial of freedom fosters irresponsibility.

The Principle: Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. We must accept the right of others to choose for themselves if we are to have the same right. Our support of an individual's right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices. We believe people must accept personal responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Solutions: Libertarian policies will promote a society where people are free to make and learn from their own decisions.

Transitional Action: Repeal all laws that presume government knows better than the individual how to run that person’s life. Encourage private sector dissemination of information to help consumers make informed decisions on products and services. Enforce laws against fraud and misrepresentation.

 

[Charade]

I really have nothing else to say about alcoholism, teen drinking or drunk driving because to me that is not the issue.

It is the issue. They are directly related. Lowering the drinking age to 18 will remove the underage drinking penalty. Do you really think that lowering the age to 18 will dramatically affect (reduce) drunk driving incidents in that age group? I don't. I think it'll actually increase.

This is from the Libertarian Party platform. It says everything I have to say.

The Issue: Personal responsibility is discouraged by government denying individuals the opportunity to exercise it. In fact, the denial of freedom fosters irresponsibility.

The Principle: Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. We must accept the right of others to choose for themselves if we are to have the same right. Our support of an individual's right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices. We believe people must accept personal responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Solutions: Libertarian policies will promote a society where people are free to make and learn from their own decisions.

Transitional Action: Repeal all laws that presume government knows better than the individual how to run that person’s life. Encourage private sector dissemination of information to help consumers make informed decisions on products and services. Enforce laws against fraud and misrepresentation.

So you'd be OK with drunk driving? Anytime your actions (be FREE yanno!!!!!) negatively affect others, it's time for intervention.

Personal responsibility includes knowing how your actions will affect others beforehand.

 

[JPN4265]

Because teenagers would then to be able to "party" at home with their parents (and friends) and not die because of alcohol intoxication or drunk driving. Furthermore, kids and their friends would be happy to be able to get drunk in the safety of a parental supervised party. What do you think?

And the driving age should be raised to 18.

 

[bluefairy13]

It is the issue. They are directly related. Lowering the drinking age to 18 will remove the underage drinking penalty. Do you really think that lowering the age to 18 will dramatically affect (reduce) drunk driving incidents in that age group? I don't. I think it'll actually increase.



So you'd be OK with drunk driving? Anytime your actions (be FREE yanno!!!!!) negatively affect others, it's time for intervention.

Personal responsibility includes knowing how your actions will affect others beforehand.

You obviously didn't read any of that. I guess if you did, you are just ignoring it. Personal responsibility means accepting your punishment if you do something like that.

What a silly response. How could you possibly think the Libertarian party would accept drunk driving.

 

[DawnCt1]

And the driving age should be raised to 18.

I don't have a problem with that, but I don't think we need to lower the drinking age to "meet" it, do you?

 

[Charade]

You obviously didn't read any of that. I guess if you did, you are just ignoring it. Personal responsibility means accepting your punishment if you do something like that.

I did read it and I didn't ignore it. Personal responsibility means accepting punishment for your actions. True. But if there are no laws against the action, there's no punishment.

You're personal freedom ends when it starts to interfere with other's personal freedom.

You would think that people would know it's not nice to play your party music so loud that it prevents someone from enjoying the quite peace inside their own home. But I get the impression that *true* Libertarians would rather do away with those types of laws.

What a silly response. How could you possibly think the Libertarian party would accept drunk driving.

Well, it's just as silly as to your assertion that Republicans want to control every aspect of people's personal lives.

 

[bluefairy13]

I did read it and I didn't ignore it. Personal responsibility means accepting punishment for your actions. True. But if there are no laws against the action, there's no punishment.

You're personal freedom ends when it starts to interfere with other's personal freedom.

You would think that people would know it's not nice to play your party music so loud that it prevents someone from enjoying the quite peace inside their own home. But I get the impression that *true* Libertarians would rather do away with those types of laws.



Well, it's just as silly as to your assertion that Republicans want to control every aspect of people's personal lives.

Do you honestly believe that Libertarians don't believe in any laws at all? You aren't even trying to discuss this rationally.

I think murder and rape should be legal too, freedom, yanno.

 

[meandtheguys2]

And the driving age should be raised to 18.

That's easy. Parents can just choose not to allow their children to get their licenses before that age.

I can't believe 15 year olds are allowed behind the wheel of a car on the road.

 

[NYBlue1]

But by creating a differential drinking age for a time there was encoragement to drink and drive for those who wanted a drink.

Yes exactly and that was the bad thing about the entire situation, ct refused to change the drinking age it had to get to the point where federal highway funding was at state for them to agree to raise it

 

[DawnCt1]

That's easy. Parents can just choose not to allow their children to get their licenses before that age.

I can't believe 15 year olds are allowed behind the wheel of a car on the road.

Exactly. 17 1/2 was the age that was the youngest in our family. I read the actuarial tables which said, that "if you can prevent your child from getting their drivers' license between the ages of 16 and 17, you decrease their chances of a fatal accident by 100%." I read that YEARS ago but it made a huge impression on me. We had one DS get their license just before their 18th birthday, two at 18 and one at 19. (the youngest, ) When its your car and your insurance, it is totally controllable. An 18 year old drinking age doesn't require a car nor insurance.

 

[Kath2003]

Is the rate of teen driving higher in the US? It might be a combination of things such as driving at an earlier age, more driving time per teen and lack of education. I don't think there are many teens in the US that knows you shouldn't drink and drive. It really is a matter of "just say no" to it. Do shock ads (such as the one you linked to) work to reduce drink driving (that's such an odd phrase) in the UK?

It's reduced by one year in most US states (It's 17 in the UK). The difference in rates in drink driving could be contributed to by this, but it is too big of a difference to explain the large differences in rates.

Amongst college students, in a survey of 30,000 university/college students in 23 developed and developing countries globally, the USA was found to have the highest drink driving rate. 43% of all male college students who COULD and DID drive (including those who did not drink) admitted to drink driving, compared with 14% for England, 18% for France and 12% for Germany.

28% of women at college who could and did drive admitted to drink driving - fewer than man but significantly higher than any other country surveyed (the next highest was Iceland at 15%). Bearing in mind it's not legal for the majority of college students to drink in the USA, this is fairly shocking!

The shock adverts have had exceptional effect in the UK, particularly amongst older drivers.