> I always thought that the roads would be much safer if our legal drinking age and legal driving ages were switched

They are switched in many Western European countries, and imho that works fine. Also because there generally is more public transportation and/or neighbourhood pubs/clubs.

(though some countries have raised the drinking age, making them come about at the same time, which is even worse)

A 16 drinking age, 18 driving age does create quite a different youth culture though. Less fuss about alcohol (though it differing more with parents permissiveness), more about cars, and early networks and contacts being more local.