The rules are different for young drivers. Now in effect in all states, "zero tolerance" laws make it illegal for persons under 21 to drive with any alcohol in their blood. Statistics have proven that the likelihood of an alcohol-related crash increases when the driver is a teen. In the National Highway Systems Designation Act of 1995, Congress employed a strategy to encourage zero tolerance laws: States failing to enact a zero tolerance law by 1999 would lose a portion of their federal-aid highway construction funds. As a result, by 1998 all states had zero tolerance laws in place. Risks for Young Drivers
Alcohol-related crashes account for about 60 percent of the young people aged 16-24 killed on the highway.
Young drivers aged 16-19 with a blood alcohol content - BAC - of .02 to .05 percent (1 to 2 drinks) are at least 7 times more likely to be killed in a crash than a sober driver of any age.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the highest intoxication rates in fatal crashes are recorded for drivers 21-24 years old.
Young male drivers with a BAC of .01 percent or more were involved in twice as many fatal crashes as female drivers.
