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Maryland Shows No Change in Youth Alcohol-Related Traffic Deaths

16 September 1998

Maryland Shows No Change in the Number of Youth Under 21 Alcohol-Related Traffic Deaths
Click here to see The Century Council's state by state ranking of changes in alcohol related traffic deaths for those under 21, 1996-1997.


    BALTIMORE--Sept. 16, 1998--The number of alcohol-related traffic deaths in 1997 among youth under the age of 21 in Maryland was the same as in 1996, according to recently released national statistics as reported by The Century Council, a national anti-alcohol abuse organization.
    The actual number of deaths was 31 in both 1996 and 1997. However, since the state experienced a small drop in the total population count, the rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities among youth under 21 per 100,000 population increased slightly, from 2.11 in 1996 to 2.13 in 1997--less than a one percent increase.
    "We are concerned about any increase in the rate of underage alcohol-related driving deaths, even such a slight increase as Maryland's, especially when compared to the rest of the country, which saw a five percent reduction in the rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities among youth under 21 per 100,000 population from 1996 to 1997," said John C. Lawn, chairman and CEO of The Century Council, which fights drunk driving and underage drinking problems and is funded by America's leading distillers.
    However, when viewed over the long term, Maryland's record is more reassuring. From 1987 to 1997, the rate of youth under 21 alcohol-related traffic fatalities per 100,000 population declined 60 percent, surpassing the national rate reduction over that period of 50%.
    The Century Council bases its statistics on 1997 data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), including the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and General Estimating System (GES) databases, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
    The Century Council is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting alcohol abuse, focusing on drunk driving and illegal underage drinking. Founded in 1991, the Council has headquarters in Los Angeles and is funded by America's leading distillers. The Council's Website address is www.centurycouncil.org.