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QUICK FACTS FROM AEP RESEARCH

Liability among Servers and Providers of Alcohol


Who should be held liable for alcohol-related traffic crash injuries?

A survey of over 7,000 adults in the U.S. showed that:

  • Hosts of private parties and bars who serve underage drinkers should be held to a much higher level of liability than those who serve adults, regardless of other factors.
  • If a traffic crash injury involved a 17-year-old driver who was served at a bar, most respondents said:
    • bar owners should be held at least as liable as the driver, particularly if the bar had a history of irresponsible behavior.
    • bar owners should be held more liable than parents.
  • If a traffic crash injury involved a 40-year-old driver who was served at a private party or a bar:
    • Most respondents felt that the driver should be held more liable than the party host or bar owner.
    • Male and female respondents assigned similar levels of liability.

For more information order publications:

(1) 11.6.129
Wagenaar AC, Denk CE, Hannan PJ, Chen HG, Harwood EM. Liability of commercial and social hosts for alcohol-related injuries - A national survey of accountability norms and judgments. Public Opinion Quarterly 2001 Fall;65(3):344-68.

 

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    Last modified: Friday August 07 2009