South Carolina's Omnibus Highway Safety Act Makes Zero Tolerance for Youth the Law of the Land President Clinton today praised South Carolina for passing a zero tolerance law prohibiting young people from drinking and driving. With today's signing of the Omnibus Highway Safety Act, South Carolina becomes the 50th state to enact zero tolerance for young drivers. With the signing of this legislation, zero tolerance will effectively become the law of the land, and I commend Governor Beasley and the South Carolina legislature for helping us meet this important national goal.
Several studies show conclusively that zero tolerance laws save lives.
For example, Maryland's zero tolerance law produced an 11 percent decrease in the number of drinking drivers under age 21 involved in crashes. In four other states, the number of late night fatal crashes of young drivers dropped 34 percent after zero tolerance laws, compared to a 7 percent drop for adult late night fatal crashes. Achieving zero tolerance laws for young drivers in every state was a result of partnership between the federal and state governments which will save lives and prevent injuries. Thousands of young people lose their lives in highway crashes each year. Nationally, we are all moving in the right direction.