Recent statistics show that teenage drinking is decreasing, but the numbers are still far too great to be hopeful for a significant decline. The causes of teenage drinking are various, but they all add to the graveness of this problem. Alcohol is killing the youth of America. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the percent of high school seniors who have used alcohol has decreased in the past 25 years. A statistic gathered by Mothers Against Drunk Driving is that more college undergraduates will die from alcohol-related causes than will receive a masters or doctorate degree.
Teenagers are also more likely to drink and drive.
During a typical weekend, an average of one teenager dies each hour in a car crash. Clearly, this has become a severe problem. It has gone beyond teenage experimentation. There are many factors that motivate teenagers to drink. Most adults believe that peer pressure is largely responsible.