Zero Tolerance for Youth
A total of 2,364 youths, aged 15 to 20, died in alcohol-related crashes in the US in 1993. The risk of a fatal crash for drivers under 21 is greater at low alcohol levels than it is for older drivers.
It is illegal in every state for persons under the age of 21 to purchase and publicly possess alcoholic beverages. In support of these laws, it is illegal for persons under 21 who have been drinking to drive. A zero tolerance law makes it illegal "per se" (in and of itself) for persons under the age of 21 to drive with any measurable alcohol in their blood.
The use-lose statutes make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase, possess, transport, or consume alcohol. A youth with a detectable amount of alcohol in his or her body is in violation of the law and loses his or her driver's license, usually for six months to one year. For youths not yet licensed to drive, the law typically delays issuance of a driver's license for a specific period (usually six months to a year).
