DUI For Underage Drinkers

Teenagers who drink and drive count for a large percentage of the people on the roads who cause some of the most terrible accidents imaginable. Often, the teen who has gotten drunk takes on a careless attitude behind the wheel and is most likely to cause an accident that not only injures themselves but harms or kills others that they hit as well. Many organizations have been formed to support teens who drink by offering them alternative ways to getting to their destination without driving drunk. The ultimate responsibility rests on the teen who makes the choice to drink and drive.

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Until a teenager is 18, they are a minor and can still be the responsibility of the parent who has allowed them to have access to a motor vehicle. If you are a parent of a teenager who is of driving age but not 18, you should understand that if your teen is in a DUI-related accident and it is determined that they were responsible, that responsibility can create a financial hardship for you, not your teen as you are responsible for their actions.

Teen DUI

DUI statistics for teens are quite different than those for adults. Teens represent a unique group of individuals who also present unique challenges when it comes to their inability to control their drinking and subsequently driving while under the influence. Some of the statistics that support these beliefs include facts such as:

• Many teens that cause DUI accidents end up killing themselves.
• Teens cause billions of dollars in damage to automobiles each year from drunk driving.
• Insurance rates for teens are the highest of all rates because of the likelihood of them causing an alcohol related accident and injury.
  

How You Can Keep Your Teen From DUI

There are a few basic ways that you can work to keep your teen from DUI:

• Make sure your teen understands that when they have been drinking, they should not drive, no matter what.
• Offer to provide them transportation when they are drinking.
• Encourage them not to drink at all since underage drinking is illegal and could cause them to lose their license in a under age dui charge.
• Don’t make an allowance for second offenses. If your teen has been cited for DUI, do not give them access to a motor vehicle to drive without alcohol education.

Teen DUI is considered a serious offense just as other driving under the influence infractions are. If your teen is determined to be DUI while sleeping, they will be subject to the same penalties as any other infraction that involves alcohol and driving. This means they will most likely have to go to some sort of alcohol education program when the judge finds them guilty.