NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A report from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) revealed several upward trends involving young people across the state, including increases in crashes, hospital admissions and more.
By law, the TABC must provide reports on underage drinking, drunk driving and harmful uses of alcohol as a means of prevention. Last year, the TABC issued 568 violations for alcohol sale to a minor. This year’s report, released this month, also revealed several upward trends for young people.
One of the largest increases found in the report had to do with alcohol-related vehicle crashes for young people. Between 2019 and 2023, those crashes increased by 209% for those between 13 and 19.
From 2020 through 2023, alcohol-related hospital admissions for people between 10 and 20 years old increased by 49.4%. Emergency room visits for that same age range and time period increased by 12.5%.
Though the report focused on trends related to underage drinking, other data points were included. For example, between 2019 and 2022, alcohol-related deadly boating crashes increased by 237%. Boating under the influence arrests increased by 95% between 2020 and 2023.
The report concluded with several recommendations related to underage alcohol consumption, including:
- Parents of people younger than 21 should have conversations with their children about “problem drinking and binge drinking.”
- Pediatric healthcare providers should routinely screen for underage alcohol consumption and refer patients to clinical resources when necessary.
- Families should be aware of the short-term and long-term risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption.
- Legislators should amend current laws to improve notifications about alcohol-related road fatalities and evidence sharing with the TBAC.
Several other organizations helped with the report, including the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
