If campuses crack down, won't students drink off-campus leading to a bigger drunk driving problem?

Question:

If campuses crack down, won't students drink off-campus leading to a bigger drunk driving problem?

Answer:

  • There are myriad other problems that arise on campus: assault, rape, property damage, etc. It’s important to consider that DUI is not the only problem that addressing alcohol abuse will ameliorate.
  • The fact of the matter is that by making it more inconvenient for students to drink on campus will result in some people not engaging in high-risk drinking, while other students may still travel in order to get alcohol. That’s why the Center advocates for a more comprehensive approach that works with the surrounding community as well as on campus.
  • Colleges have successfully worked with tavern and liquor outlet owners to better enforce the drinking age and to advertise more responsibly, and with local law enforcement to step up enforcement as well.
  • The term "cracking down" is a caricature of what the Center proposes. A comprehensive approach involves changing the environment, and that includes the way students think about drinking alcohol and the risks they run doing so.