Andersen, C.J.
Facts of Case
The issue in these three consolidated appeals is whether the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which is imposed upon minor teenagers who are convicted of consuming or possessing alcohol, violates the equal protection guaranties of our state and federal constitutions. We hold the revocation provisions in Washington's "abuse and lose" statutes1 constitutionally sound.
[556]*556Juvenile offender Shawn P. was found guilty of violating the law prohibiting minors from consuming alcohol.2 He was 16 years old at the time of the offense and 17 when the disposition order was entered in juvenile court. Juvenile offender David W. was found guilty of violating the minor in possession of alcohol statute3 when he was 15 years old. Juvenile offender Daniel W. was 15 at the time of the offense and 16 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the minor in possession of alcohol law.4
As a consequence of the determination of guilt in each case, the trial courts were required to notify the Department of licensing of the determination5 and the Department was then required to revoke all driving privileges of each of the juveniles for 1 year or until the juvenile reached the age of 17, whichever was later.6 In each of these cases, revocation was stayed pending the outcome of the appeals.7
Each of the juvenile offenders challenges the revocation law on equal protection grounds. Shawn P. argues that the "class" of persons affected by the challenged legislation includes all persons prohibited from possessing or consuming alcohol. The class, to his view, thus consists of all persons under the age of 21 years. Because the revocation provisions [557]*557of the legislation do not apply to those who are between the ages of 18 and 21, Shawn P. contends the law discriminates within the class and thus violates the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution. The Court of Appeals disagreed and upheld the constitutionality of the law and the finding of guilt in State v. Preston, 66 Wn. App. 494, 832.P.2d 513, review granted, 120 Wn.2d 1012 (1992). We granted Shawn P.'s petition for review on the constitutional issue.
David W. and Daniel W, whose appeals were consolidated below, argue that the challenged classification violates the equal protection guaranties of both the state and federal constitutions because it treats minor teenagers more harshly than both the 18- to 21-year-old group and the 12 years and under group. Again, the Court of Appeals disagreed and upheld the constitutionality of the law in State v. Weese, 67 Wn. App. 259, 834 P.2d 1099 (1992), review granted, 121 Wn.2d 1001 (1993). David W. and Daniel W. then petitioned for review on the constitutional issue. We granted the petition and consolidated the appeals with that of Shawn P.
One issue is presented in this court for review.
Issue
Does the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which is applicable only to minor teenagers (those 13 and older, but under 18) who are convicted of consuming or possessing alcohol, violate the equal protection guaranties of the state and federal constitutions?
Decision
Conclusion. We hold that the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which applies only to minor teenagers who are determined to have violated the minor possessing/ consuming alcohol law, is rationally related to the legitimate state objectives of promoting highway safety and deterring illegal drinking by teenagers and thus does not violate constitutional equal protection guaranties.
[558]*558The challenged legislation,8 which was enacted in 1988,9 amended a number of existing statutes.10 The legislation provides in pertinent part:
If a juvenile thirteen years of age or older [and under the age of 18] is found by juvenile court to have committed an offense that is a violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the court shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four horns after entry of the judgment.
RCW 13.40.265(1)(a).11
The statutes referred to within the above-quoted section prohibit the possession, consumption or acquisition of liquor,12 except in limited circumstances, by any person under the age of 21,13 and prohibit the possession, distribution and manufacture of certain drugs.14 It is only the law relating to alcoholic beverages that is at issue in the consolidated cases before us.
Thus, under the statutory provision quoted above, if a juvenile, aged 13 to 18, is found guilty of violating RCW 66.44.270(2)(a) (consuming or possessing liquor), the court must notify the Department of Licensing. RCW 46.20.265 then requires the Department to revoke the juvenile's driving privilege. That statute provides:
(1) In addition to any other authority to revoke driving privileges under this chapter, the department [of licensing] shall revoke all driving privileges of a juvenile when the department receives notice from a court pursuant to RCW 13.40.265, 66.44-.365, 69.41.065, 69.50.420, 69.52.070, or a substantially similar [559]*559municipal ordinance adopted by a local legislative authority, or from a diversion unit pursuant to RCW 13.40.265. The revocation shall be imposed without hearing.
(2) The driving privileges of the juvenile revoked under subsection (1) of this section shall be revoked in the following manner:
(a) Upon receipt of the first notice, the department shall impose a revocation for one year, or until the juvenile reaches seventeen years of age, whichever is longer.
(b) Upon receipt of a second or subsequent notice, the department shall impose a revocation for two years or until the juvenile reaches eighteen years of age, whichever is longer.
RCW 46.20.265 (part).15
While the legislation refers to "juveniles",16 it is clear that for purposes of the revocation provisions, the term is limited to juveniles who are 13 years of age or older and under age 18.
The legislation thus carves out a "class" of minor teenagers, aged 13 through 17, and imposes an additional penalty upon them.17
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Andersen, C.J.
Facts of Case
The issue in these three consolidated appeals is whether the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which is imposed upon minor teenagers who are convicted of consuming or possessing alcohol, violates the equal protection guaranties of our state and federal constitutions. We hold the revocation provisions in Washington's "abuse and lose" statutes1 constitutionally sound.
[556]*556Juvenile offender Shawn P. was found guilty of violating the law prohibiting minors from consuming alcohol.2 He was 16 years old at the time of the offense and 17 when the disposition order was entered in juvenile court. Juvenile offender David W. was found guilty of violating the minor in possession of alcohol statute3 when he was 15 years old. Juvenile offender Daniel W. was 15 at the time of the offense and 16 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the minor in possession of alcohol law.4
As a consequence of the determination of guilt in each case, the trial courts were required to notify the Department of licensing of the determination5 and the Department was then required to revoke all driving privileges of each of the juveniles for 1 year or until the juvenile reached the age of 17, whichever was later.6 In each of these cases, revocation was stayed pending the outcome of the appeals.7
Each of the juvenile offenders challenges the revocation law on equal protection grounds. Shawn P. argues that the "class" of persons affected by the challenged legislation includes all persons prohibited from possessing or consuming alcohol. The class, to his view, thus consists of all persons under the age of 21 years. Because the revocation provisions [557]*557of the legislation do not apply to those who are between the ages of 18 and 21, Shawn P. contends the law discriminates within the class and thus violates the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution. The Court of Appeals disagreed and upheld the constitutionality of the law and the finding of guilt in State v. Preston, 66 Wn. App. 494, 832.P.2d 513, review granted, 120 Wn.2d 1012 (1992). We granted Shawn P.'s petition for review on the constitutional issue.
David W. and Daniel W, whose appeals were consolidated below, argue that the challenged classification violates the equal protection guaranties of both the state and federal constitutions because it treats minor teenagers more harshly than both the 18- to 21-year-old group and the 12 years and under group. Again, the Court of Appeals disagreed and upheld the constitutionality of the law in State v. Weese, 67 Wn. App. 259, 834 P.2d 1099 (1992), review granted, 121 Wn.2d 1001 (1993). David W. and Daniel W. then petitioned for review on the constitutional issue. We granted the petition and consolidated the appeals with that of Shawn P.
One issue is presented in this court for review.
Issue
Does the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which is applicable only to minor teenagers (those 13 and older, but under 18) who are convicted of consuming or possessing alcohol, violate the equal protection guaranties of the state and federal constitutions?
Decision
Conclusion. We hold that the mandatory revocation of driving privileges, which applies only to minor teenagers who are determined to have violated the minor possessing/ consuming alcohol law, is rationally related to the legitimate state objectives of promoting highway safety and deterring illegal drinking by teenagers and thus does not violate constitutional equal protection guaranties.
[558]*558The challenged legislation,8 which was enacted in 1988,9 amended a number of existing statutes.10 The legislation provides in pertinent part:
If a juvenile thirteen years of age or older [and under the age of 18] is found by juvenile court to have committed an offense that is a violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the court shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four horns after entry of the judgment.
RCW 13.40.265(1)(a).11
The statutes referred to within the above-quoted section prohibit the possession, consumption or acquisition of liquor,12 except in limited circumstances, by any person under the age of 21,13 and prohibit the possession, distribution and manufacture of certain drugs.14 It is only the law relating to alcoholic beverages that is at issue in the consolidated cases before us.
Thus, under the statutory provision quoted above, if a juvenile, aged 13 to 18, is found guilty of violating RCW 66.44.270(2)(a) (consuming or possessing liquor), the court must notify the Department of Licensing. RCW 46.20.265 then requires the Department to revoke the juvenile's driving privilege. That statute provides:
(1) In addition to any other authority to revoke driving privileges under this chapter, the department [of licensing] shall revoke all driving privileges of a juvenile when the department receives notice from a court pursuant to RCW 13.40.265, 66.44-.365, 69.41.065, 69.50.420, 69.52.070, or a substantially similar [559]*559municipal ordinance adopted by a local legislative authority, or from a diversion unit pursuant to RCW 13.40.265. The revocation shall be imposed without hearing.
(2) The driving privileges of the juvenile revoked under subsection (1) of this section shall be revoked in the following manner:
(a) Upon receipt of the first notice, the department shall impose a revocation for one year, or until the juvenile reaches seventeen years of age, whichever is longer.
(b) Upon receipt of a second or subsequent notice, the department shall impose a revocation for two years or until the juvenile reaches eighteen years of age, whichever is longer.
RCW 46.20.265 (part).15
While the legislation refers to "juveniles",16 it is clear that for purposes of the revocation provisions, the term is limited to juveniles who are 13 years of age or older and under age 18.
The legislation thus carves out a "class" of minor teenagers, aged 13 through 17, and imposes an additional penalty upon them.17
The juvenile offenders claim the law violates equal protection guaranties because there is no rational basis for treating minor teenagers differently than (1) older individuals who are prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol and (2) younger individuals who might commit the same crime.
We have held that the right to equal protection under the law guaranteed by the U.S. Const. amend. 14, § 1 and by the privileges and immunities clause of the Washington Const. [560]*560art. 1, § 12 are substantially identical.18 Both, require that persons similarly situated with respect to the legitimate purpose of the law be similarly treated.19
The threshold question in any equal protection analysis is which standard of judicial review applies.20 One of three standards will be applied, depending on the nature of the interest affected or on the characteristics of the class created by the legislation.21 The first standard of review, strict scrutiny, applies when the allegedly discriminatory classification affects a suspect class or threatens a fundamental right.22 A second standard of review, intermediate or heightened scrutiny, has been applied by this court and the United States Supreme Court in limited circumstances where strict scrutiny is not mandated, but where important rights or semi-suspect classifications are affected.23 The third standard of review requires minimal scrutiny and is referred to as the rational relationship or rational basis test.24 The statutory classification involved here does not involve a suspect or semi-suspect class25 and does not threaten a fundamental right.26 The par[561]*561ties correctly concede that the rational relationship test is the standard against which the legislative classification here challenged should be measured.
The rational relationship test is the most relaxed and tolerant form of judicial scrutiny under the equal protection clause.27 Under this test, the legislative classification will be upheld unless it rests on grounds wholly irrelevant to achievement of legitimate state objectives.28 The burden of proving the legislative classification unconstitutional is upon the party challenging the legislation.29 That party has the heavy burden of overcoming a presumption that the statute is constitutional.30 We generally will not declare a statute unconstitutional unless it appears unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt.31
The juveniles challenging the legislative classification in the present case do not meet their heavy burden.
The juveniles must do more than question the wisdom of the legislative classification; they must show conclusively that the classification is purely arbitrary.32
The purpose of this legislation is stated in the following legislative finding:
The legislature finds that many persons under the age of eighteen unlawfully use intoxicating liquor and controlled substances. The use of these substances by juveniles can cause [562]*562serious damage to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and in some instances results in life-long disabilities.
Tine legislature also finds that juveniles who unlawfully use alcohol and controlled substances frequently operate motor vehicles while under the influence of and impaired by alcohol or drugs. Juveniles who use these substances often have seriously impaired judgment and motor skills and pose an unduly high risk of causing injury or death to themselves or other persons on the public highways.
The legislature also finds that juveniles will be deterred from the unlawful use of alcohol and controlled substances if their driving privileges are suspended or revoked for using illegal drugs or alcohol.
Laws of 1988, ch. 148, § 1, p. 592.
This finding is supported by 'Voluminous statistical data" demonstrating that a disproportionate number of juveniles drive while impaired and that they thus pose a serious risk to the safety of themselves and others.33
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers, comprising forty-two percent of all teenage fatalities. In the United States, half of all deaths of people between the ages of sixteen and eighteen are automobile-related. Many teenagers claim that peer pressure encourages more risk-taking activities. This results in teenage drivers being responsible for five-fold the vehicle deaths of drivers between the ages of thirty-five and forty-nine and two-fold that of drivers in the twenty to thirty-four age group. . . .
Mounting evidence shows that juveniles who abuse substances and drive have an increased probability of traffic accidents.
(Footnotes omitted.) Vaughn, Kappeler & del Carmen, A Legislative and Constitutional Examination of "Abuse and Lose" Juvenile Driving Statutes, 19 Am. J. Crim. L. 411, 413 (1992).
Thus a purpose of the legislation is to keep young teenagers who drink off the road, providing protection not only for the young drivers, but for the rest of the public as well.
[563]*563The Legislature also concluded that youths would be deterred from using alcohol by the threat of license revocation. This and similar legislation in other states recognizes that young people place a high value on their drivers' licenses.34 The purpose of this type of legislation is to help juveniles avoid using alcohol by providing the additional incentive of loss of driving privileges. The laws are thus designed, in part, to give juveniles a reason to say no and to provide them with a powerful peer-acceptable excuse to refrain from using alcohol.35
The juvenile offenders agree that the object of the legislation is to deter unlawful use of alcohol or drugs by juveniles and to promote highway safety and they agree that these goals are legitimate state objectives. But it is the method of achieving the purposes of the law that they challenge.
Because the legislative finding speaks in terms of all juveniles and of the problems that occur as a result of underage drinkers, the juvenile offenders here argue that the Legislature should have mandated license revocation for all persons under the age of 21 who unlawfully possess or consume alcohol. The test, however, is not what the Legislature could have done. Nor is it what this court would have done were we drafting the legislation. Once it is determined that the purpose of the legislation is a legitimate state objective, the only remaining question is whether the classification created by the Legislature is rationally related to the purpose of the legislation. "The rational basis test requires only that the statute's means is rationally related to its goal, not that the means is the best way of achieving that goal."36
Under the rational basis test, a statutory classification will be upheld if any conceivable state of facts reasonably [564]*564justifies the classification.37 "Such a rational basis for a legislative decision need not have actually motivated the Legislature's decision."38
There are a number of rational bases for the classification established by RCW 66.44.365, RCW 13.40.265 and RCW 46.20.265.
We turn first to the Legislature's failure to include within the class those persons who are between the ages of 18 and 21 years but who are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages.
RCW 26.28.010 provides that "[ejxcept as otherwise specifically provided by law, all persons shall be deemed and taken to be of full age for all purposes at the age of eighteen years." Juveniles — those under the age of 1839 — are frequently treated differently under the criminal law. Unlike offenders sentenced in adult proceedings, the aim of sentencing under the Juvenile Justice Act of 1977, RCW 13.40, is both punishment and rehabilitation.40 Furthermore, juveniles — those under the age of 18 — are treated differently when they attempt to obtain a driver's license or own a car. A teenager generally will not be granted a driver's license unless the teenager is at least 16 years old,41 the teen's parents or guardians approve, and the teenager has successfully completed an approved traffic safety education course.42 No such restriction exists for persons who are 18 years old or older. A minor teenager also cannot legally own a car in [565]*565this state.43 Again, no such restriction exists for persons who are 18 years old or older. An 18-year-old also is treated as an adult for many other purposes. For example, the following rights begin at age 18: the right to vote,44 the right to hold office,45 the right to independently decide to marry,46 the right to make a will,47 and the right to serve as a juror.48 Furthermore, most persons 18 to 21 years old have finished high school and have a greater dependence on a driver's license for education, employment or family needs.
There are numerous distinctions between minor teenagers and persons who are between the ages of 18 and 21. Consequently, we hold there are several rational bases for the classification of juvenile teenagers created by the challenged legislation.
Similarly, the Legislature's creation of a class that includes juvenile teenagers, but does not include younger juveniles, is not wholly arbitrary. The juvenile offenders argue that because juveniles who are 12 years old are, like 13-year-old juveniles, presumed competent to commit crimes, they should be included in the class. They argue that the statutory scheme of the Juvenile Justice Act of 1977, RCW 13.40, requires such inclusion in order for the statute to be consistent.
However, the rational basis test is not whether the classification is consistent with other statutorily created classes. Rather, it is whether the legislative classification is rationally related to the goals of the legislation. While the juveniles are correct in their statement that 12-year-old chil[566]*566dren are presumed capable of committing crimes,49 that does not mean that other younger juveniles are incapable of committing the. same crimes that subject older juveniles to revocation of driving privileges.50 Furthermore, the Juvenile Justice Act of 1977 does not consistently treat 12-year-old children the same as it treats those who have reached their teen years.51 Indeed, in meting out penalties, 12-year-old offenders are treated differently than teenage offenders. The sentencing scheme of the Juvenile Justice Act of 1977 bases sentences, in part, on the age of the offender.52 Under the sentencing scheme of the Juvenile Justice Act of 1977, punishments for various offenses are based on the number of offense points earned for a specific offense. Offense points are dependent, in part, on the age of the juvenile offender.53 Juveniles aged 12 and under are grouped together under this system.54 Juveniles older than 12 are allocated offender points based on their age, year by year.55
Further, the purposes of the legislation would not clearly be served by revoking the privilege to drive of a child under the age of 13 as the impact of the penalty, postponing the child's privilege to drive until age 17, is so remote that the deterrence effect would likely be lost.
[567]*567Thus the statutory scheme does not support a conclusion that the division between 12- and 13-year-old offenders is purely arbitrary.56
While the Legislature might have included others within the class it created by this legislation, equal protection does not require it to attack every aspect of a problem. The Legislature is free to approach a problem piecemeal and to learn from experience.57
We hold that the statutes here at issue are constitutionally proper against the challenges raised because they are rationally related to the legitimate objectives of promoting traffic safety and deterring illegal drinking by minor teenagers.
Affirmed.
Utter, Brachtenbach, Durham, and Smith, JJ., concur.