What strategy has been shown to reduce DWI occurrences among young adults?

Increasing the legal drinking age has been shown to be an effective strategy in reducing occurrences of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) among young adults. This approach limits access to alcohol for those under the legal age, which in turn helps to decrease the likelihood of underage drinking and the potential for impaired driving. Studies have consistently demonstrated that when the legal drinking age is set at 21, there is a significant reduction in DWI incidents among teenagers and young adults.

This strategy targets both consumption and enforcement, as raising the legal drinking age not only restricts access but also allows law enforcement to more effectively manage and reduce underage drinking. By creating higher barriers to alcohol consumption in younger populations, the overall rates of DWI offenses tend to decline, thereby promoting safer driving behavior.

In contrast, lowering the drinking age or increasing the number of bars does not align with evidence-based findings on reducing DWI risk and can instead contribute to more opportunities for alcohol consumption and potential impaired driving. Similarly, encouraging drinking games could exacerbate the problem by promoting excessive drinking, leading to greater incidence of DWI offenses among young adults.