Evaluations of Minimum Drinking Age Laws

GAO provided the results of its study on the effects of increasing the minimum drinking age. GAO found that: (1) raising the drinking age directly affects the reduction of alcohol-related traffic accidents; (2) states can expect reductions in traffic accidents, the degree of reduction depending on the evaluation method used; and (3) based on a limited number of evaluations of alcohol consumption, raising the drinking age may result in a decline in the consumption of alcohol and in driving after drinking. GAO also found that there was insufficient evidence to determine: (1) the effect a higher drinking age will have on 16- and 17-year olds; (2) whether raising the drinking age would result in youths crossing state borders to obtain alcoholic beverages; and (3) the long-term effects of raising the minimum drinking age.