Determine Feasible and Acceptable Age 21 Support Programs

Harding, Wayne M.; Apsler, Robert; Walsh, W. A. · 1990 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This 1990 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) addresses the need for effective programs to deter underage drinking and driving, despite the widespread adoption of age 21 minimum drinking laws. While these laws reduced alcohol-related crashes among youth, many adolescents continued to circumvent them. The study aimed to identify prevention approaches that were feasible, acceptable to youth and the public, and potentially effective in promoting abstinence. The research employed a three-stage methodology. First, researchers collected descriptive data on 22 existing prevention programs through literature reviews and interviews with highway safety specialists. Second, a panel of eight experts in highway safety and prevention evaluated 18 generic program descriptions based on implementation ease, effectiveness, public and youth appeal, and susceptibility to circumvention. Third, 52 youth aged 11 to 20 participated in six focus groups to assess a subset of 11 programs. The youth participants were diverse in age, gender, socioeconomic status, and drinking behavior. The primary finding was a strong consensus between experts and youth regarding the most effective interventions. Both groups identified license restrictions for youth alcohol offenders—such as suspending licenses or postponing eligibility—as highly effective. They also favored changes to driver license design and distribution to reduce fraudulent identification, increased penalties for false ID use, and student assistance programs in schools. Conversely, programs like "Safe Homes" (parent pledges to supervise parties) were ranked as least effective by both groups. Youth specifically noted that while effective programs might not be personally appealing because they restricted access to alcohol, they were recognized as deterrents. Experts and youth also agreed that adolescents could easily circumvent most reviewed programs. Notably, younger adolescents showed slightly more positive views toward abstinence-focused groups than older teens. The study concludes that reliable evaluation data on prevention programs is scarce, underscoring the need for rigorous future research. The authors recommend focusing resources on programs with high potential for reducing underage drinking, as identified by the consensus of experts and youth. Future research should also explore additional prevention approaches, strategies for safer drinking, adult and parental perspectives on these programs, and the effectiveness of simultaneous multi-program interventions. The report emphasizes involving youth in planning prevention efforts, as their input provided valuable suggestions overlooked by experts.

Key finding

Experts and youth agreed that license restrictions for youth alcohol offenders and changes in driver license design to prevent fraudulent identification were the most effective programs for reducing underage drinking.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 60

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• dui enforcement

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation, policy recommendations