What are Dram Shop Laws?
Dram Shop laws, also known as liquor liability laws, make it illegal for bars, liquor stores, or other establishments that sell alcohol to serve alcohol to visibly intoxicated persons or minors (any person under the age of 21). These laws were put into effect to protect the general public against accidents that may occur due to the serving of alcoholic beverages to visibly intoxicated persons or minors. If an establishment serves a visibly intoxicated person or minor liquor, and then that person is responsible for causing injury or death to themselves or others due to a vehicle collision or other type of accident, the establishment who sold the alcohol is legally liable under the Dram shop laws.
Groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) were an essential part of the movement to pass Dram Shop laws in the united states and elsewhere around the world. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy. They believe that in many cases of alcohol-related accidents causing injury or death more than just the intoxicated individual is at fault and should be held accountable. Many of the first Dram Shop laws were passed during the temperance movement of the 19th century. People involved in the temperance movement preached abstinence or limited alcohol intake and believed that many of society’s problems could be diminished by limiting or abolishing alcohol.
Some people believe that the Dram Shop laws should not have been passed and should therefore be repealed. They believe that the laws take responsibility away from the person who causes the accident or commits the crime and that establishments who follow the law and do not intentionally serve minors or intoxicated individuals could face severe penalties or worse for something that they did not cause. There have been two studies of note on the effectiveness of the Dram Shop laws. One study found that the laws had little to no effect on the accidents caused by drunk driving and the effects that it did have were negative, while the other study concluded that some positive results were gained by the laws. So, although studies have been conducted to find out the effectiveness of the Dram Shop laws, it still seems that the effectiveness of these laws is inconclusive.
About the Author
Minnesota personal injury attorneys and lawyers at Paige Donnelly LTD specialize in personal injury claims throughout the Twin Cities and Minnesota.
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