Underage Drinking and Driving

Recent statistics report that roughly 12.5 million teenagers drink alcohol every year. In fact, an estimated 74% of high school students in grades 9-12 have had at least one alcoholic drink in their lives. However, minors who consume alcohol are at risk of facing serious alcohol-related charges from law enforcement officials.

Underage drinking and driving is especially costly for minors because they can be charged with multiple crimes. If you feel you have been wrongly accused of underage drinking and driving, you may need the support of a qualified defense attorney to help protect you from these severe penalties.

Underage Drinking and Driving Penalties

Because it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, the typical .08 blood alcohol limit for driving does not apply to those who are underage. In fact, if a minor has just a .02 blood alcohol content or above, he or she can be charged with underage drunk driving. According to Florida law, police the right to detain and request a blood alcohol test of individuals that are showing signs of drunk driving. If convicted, a minor can face consequences such as:

• A six-month license suspension for first-time offenders
• A one-year license suspension for second-time offenders
• A one-year suspension on first offense and 18 months on second offense for those who refuse to submit to a blood alcohol content test

If the underage boy or girl has a blood alcohol concentration of .05 or higher, his or her license can be suspended until the person takes a substance abuse course.