Teenage Drunk Driving Zero Tolerance Explained

When it comes to underage drinking and driving, federal and state governments agree that there should be no tolerance. With this idea in mind, every state has enacted its own version of laws known as Zero Tolerance. These laws are designed to deter anyone under the legal drinking age of 21 from consuming even a small amount of alcohol and then operating a motor vehicle.

Depending on your state’s specific Zero Tolerance laws, you may be considered to be driving under the influence if your blood alcohol content reaches .02%. Just to give you an idea, an average man weighing 180 lbs. might reach a blood alcohol content of .02% after consuming just one beer. While this may be the case in some states, others make it illegal for an underage driver to have any BAC over .00%.

Just like Zero Tolerance laws, the penalties for committing this crime varies from state to state. Some penalties may be administrative and include a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license for a specified period of time. In these states, you may not have to face criminal penalties such as jail time. In other states, you may be charged with driving under the influence and may have to face serious criminal penalties.

In every state, you can be charged with DUI if your BAC is .08% and you are 21 years of age or older. For anyone under the age of 21, you are not legally allowed to drink and therefore shouldn’t have any alcohol in your system. And due to shocking statistics involving the number of teenage deaths related to DUI automobile accidents, the federal and state governments take teenage drinking and driving very seriously.

If you find yourself facing a DUI and you are under the legal drinking age of 21, it is very important to contact an experienced DUI defense attorney. You must remember that you are innocent until proven guilty and it is the job of your lawyer to help you avoid a DUI conviction at all costs. Having a DUI on your criminal record can cause you to have problems enrolling in school, finding a job and even obtaining housing.