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La Petit Moi raises an interesting idea: drink earlier, drive later. I don't think it would fly politically in America, where learning to drive is about as much of a rite of passage for young men as we have. But it does separate two behaviors that, combined irresponsibly, can cause tragedy.
As somebody approaching 50 with no kids, I recently had a chance to hang out with some 16-18-year-olds more or less as co-workers. And while as many as half are mature as all hell, the remainder act, to use a better word, goofy. They look like adults and think better than 12-year-olds, but they don't act more much responsibly. They're still living empirically: rather than think about possible consequences of their actions, they just do what they want and see what happens. Not so good when you mix drinking and driving, or drinking and behavior in general.
So this is what I'd do: allow the behavior, but punish irresponsibility. Drink at 16; but drive drunk, and your license is pulled 'til you're 18 or 19. Drunk and disorderly? Again, pull the license (this is America, it's like taking someone's balls) or serious community service. Like, night duty as an orderly in an emergency room.
Hell, I'd have this for all ages. We have community service for drunk drivers and D&D now, but it's a joke, a lot of the time. Make it serious, and make it something that teaches them something.
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