26 Apr 2014

New look at drinking age urged

2:50 pm on 26 April 2014

Students Against Drink Driving says the Government needs to reconsider raising the drinking age in light of new research.

A Massey University study has found that the risk of 18 and 19 year olds being injured in alcohol-related crashes has risen by 21 percent since the drinking age was lowered from 20 to 18 in 1999.

SADD said the results are upsetting and disturbing.

Chief executive Anna Braidwood said it would be wrong to ignore the research and the group is calling for the legislation governing the drinking age to be looked at again.

The organisation has always supported a higher drinking age.