Effects on motor vehicle crash involvement of raising the legal drinking age in texas to 19 were examined, using an interrupted time-series design. Rates of single-vehicle-nighttime (svn) and non-svn crashes per 100, 000 licensed drivers from 1978 through 1984 were examined for 3 levels of crash severity. Results revealed significant reductions in svn crashes for the 18-year-old target population across all levels of crash severity. In coparison, no significantl changes in svn crashes among drivers age 21 and over were found. When the effects of macroeconomic conditions on crash rates were controlledstatistically, no change in the estimated effect of the legal age law was seen. It is clear that the 1-year increase in legal age in texas had a significant effect on youth crash involvement.
Abstract