Every state in the United States prohibits the consumption, purchase, or possession of alcohol by persons under 21 years old. Every state also has a zero-tolerance policy for people who get DUIs while underage. What does that mean? It means that if someone is under 21 years old and they get breathalyzed, any amount of alcohol – no matter how minuscule – can lead to an underage DUI.

There’s a good reason behind zero-tolerance DUI laws

While zero-tolerance laws may seem strict, there are statistics to back them up. First of all, about 33% of deaths for people between 15 and 20 involve car accidents. About 33% of those are related to alcohol. This is more than twice the amount of fatal accidents for people over 21 years old.

There’s also evidence that zero-tolerance DUI laws have been successful. Take one study for example, done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It found that the first twelve states that passed these zero-tolerance DUI laws saw a decline of about 20% in the number of fatal one-car crashes at night with drivers under the age of 21. Their fatalities were compared with twelves states that didn’t have these no-tolerance laws. If these laws can truly save lives, then they may be worth it.

There’s a downside to the zero-tolerance DUI laws

While there may be evidence that zero-tolerance Dui laws are successful at keeping young people safer behind the wheel, there are also some significant downsides. First and foremost, a young person have a few sips of beer and driving home could face the same penalties as a young person who got black-out-drunk and chose to drive. This doesn’t seem fair in the eyes of the law.

Second, a mistake that a person makes at the age of 20 could affect the rest of their life. With a DUI on their record, they may not be eligible for certain jobs. They may not be able to get state professional licenses. They may even have a hard time getting into college. When you also consider how much their car insurance can rise as a result, it’s easy to see that a minor incident could lead to some extremely serious consequences.

The good news is that we are here to help

No matter what your situation is, you’ll be glad to know that Law Office of Michael L. Fell is here to help. We want a fair result from this situation you’re facing. That may be achieved by getting the driver into a diversion program. In this case, the person being charged would be required to take alcohol abuse classes and / or attend support meetings. However, as long as they met the requirements of the diversion program, they could end up with no criminal record.

Every case is different. The stakes are always high and the options may be limited. That said, your best possible option is to reach out to a criminal defense attorney who knows how to get things done. We strongly suggest that you stop worrying and instead take action. Reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 now to learn more.