[Aliantha]

I have to say that I think it's weird that a person can live in Australia and have been drinking socially for a couple of years, then take a trip to the US and they can't buy a beer legally.

What Ducksy said is true here. Drink driving is not the major cause of road accidents for young drivers. Speed is.

As to other social issues associated with young drinkers. I think they're there for some people all their lives. I don't think youngsters are the only ones who behave like dickheads when they're pissed.

The main concern I have with young people drinking too much are the implications for their health to do with not quite mature livers etc. That being said, kids will always get drinks if they want to badly enough. Laws don't stop people abusing alcohol.