Teen Drinking 1

Introduction
Teenage death has been on the rise in the state oI Florida, USA. The most common
sources oI mortality include suicide, homicide, road accidents, and Diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
The only diIIerence amongst these causes is regularity and number oI victims involved.
Road carnage accounts Ior the highest number oI teen mortality in the state oI Florida and
greater USA. It is estimated that as at 2009, traIIic crashes accounted Ior 44 oI teenage deaths
in the U.S. Most oI these accidents were as a result oI poor adherence to traIIic rules and
regulations, and drunken driving (Florida Department oI Highway SaIety and Motor Vehicles,
2009). However, other teen accidents are unintentional or caused by a non-teenage attributed
Iactors (Florida Department oI Health, 2009).
This essay provides a brieI statistics on teenage deaths caused by drunk driving in the
state oI Florida. It also attempts to address possible means oI reducing this menace in Florida.
Data tables
Table below shows estimated numbers and percentages oI deaths resulting Irom road
accidents by age group Ior Iive years (IIHS, 2009).

Age 16-20 Age _21

Driver
deaths
Estimated deaths with
BACs _ 0.08
Driver
deaths
Estimated deaths with
BACs _ 0.08
Year Number Number Number Number
2005 2,985 735 24.62 18,876 6,344 33.61
2006 3,020 831 27.52 18,480 6,314 34.17
2007 2,728 766 28.08 17,725 6,267 35.36
2008 2,292 626 27.31 15,916 5,635 35.40
Teen Drinking 2

2009 2,040 609 29.85 14,704 5,242 35.65

The table shows estimated percent and number oI teenage mortality with blood alcohol
concentration or BACs _ 0.08 percent by gender and age Irom 2005-2009 Ior the state oI Florida
Male Female *Total
Driver
deaths
BACs _ 0.08 Driver
deaths
BACs _ 0.08 Driver
deaths
BACs _ 0.08
Year Age Number Number Number Number Number Number

2009
16-17 291 51 17 211 22 10 502 72 14
18-19 719 254 35 290 68 24 1,009 323 32
2008 16-17 369 74 20 208 20 10 577 94 16
18-19 813 279 34 353 59 17 1,167 338 29
2007 16-17 498 108 22 274 29 11 772 137 18
18-19 956 308 32 371 67 18 1,327 375 28
2006 16-17 549 113 21 305 38 13 854 151 18
18-19 1,073 333 31 397 68 17 1,470 401 27
2005 16-17 568 102 18 307 32 10 875 134 15
18-19 1,065 317 30 395 62 16 1,460 379 26
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
The table below shows the comparison oI mortality resulting Irom drunken driving-
blood alcohol concentration, BACs _ 0.08- between teenagers and non- teenage population
(IIHS, 2009)

Teen Drinking 3

Age 16-20 Age _21
Year Number Number
2004 814 11.75 6,115 88.25
2005 735 10.38 6,344 89.62
2006 831 11.63 6,314 88.37
2007 766 10.89 6,267 89.11
2008 626 10.00 5,635 90.00
2009 609 10.41 5,242 89.59

The greater non-teenage population is responsible Ior most oI the drunken driving
accidents than the teenage population. This is deduced Irom the table above. However, the
numbers are on a declining trend since 2004 to 2009.
In my opinion, teenage drunk driving problem can be reduced or eliminated by having
strict traIIic monitoring mechanisms by state agents. Further, stiIIer penalties and higher Iines
should be imposed on teenage traIIic law oIIenders. In addition, most oI the parents will be
Iorced to take proactive measures in ensuring that their children behave appropriately on the
roads or adhere to the traIIic rules to avoid paying Ior atrocities committed by their children
The state oI Florida needs to make it more diIIicult Ior teenagers to purchase or access
alcohol (National Highway TraIIic SaIety Administration, 2010). This can be done by having
legislation raising the minimum allowed legal drinking age to 21. This will in turn reduce the
number oI teenage drinkers and hence teen drunk drivers in Florida. Moreover, stiII penalties
should be imposed on anyone who sells alcohol to persons under the age oI 21. This is a
Teen Drinking 4

necessary step to ensuring that proIit oriented dealers also participate in making the, alcoholic
drink, age legislation eIIective.
Teen Drinking 5

ReIerences
Florida Department oI Health, Florida (2009) Retrieved
Iromhttp://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/bystate/Rankings.aspx?stateFL&loct5&bya
&ordera&ind598&dtm12063&tI35 accessed on Sept 20, 2011
Florida Department oI Highway SaIety and Motor Vehicles (2009). Crash Report. Retrieved
Iromhttp://takethewheel.net/wp-content/uploads/Teen-Driving-Facts-and-Statistics.htm
accessed on Sept 20, 2011
IIHS (2009). atality facts. Teenagers. Retrieved Irom
http://www.iihs.org/research/IatalityIacts2009/deIault.html accessed on Sept 20, 2011
National Highway TraIIic SaIety Administration (2010). Lives saved in 2009 by restraint use
and minimum-drinking-age laws. (DOT HS-811-383) Washington, DC: Department oI
Transportation.