Underage Virginia Drinkers Behind the Wheel: Sanctions Just Got Tougher
Virginia lawmakers recently toughened the penalties for underage drinkers who drive.

January 08, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Underage Virginia Drinkers Behind the Wheel: Sanctions Just Got Tougher

As anyone who has ever taught a young person to drive can attest, it takes a long time for a teenager to develop driving instincts that adults take for granted. New drivers aren't familiar with signs of danger on the road and their reactions to weather conditions and road obstacles are not always appropriate. It's also common knowledge that the human brain is not mature for purposes of assessing risk until the mid-20s.

Add substance abuse to this mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

The danger of underage drinking and driving is real, as illustrated by this information from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration:
-The chance of a teenager on a U.S. road dying in an alcohol-related motor vehicle accident is much higher than it is for the population as a whole.
-In 2006 fatal accidents involving 15- to 20-year-old drivers, almost one-third of them had consumed alcohol before driving and one-quarter had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 (the legal limit in every state) or higher when the accidents occurred.
-More male teen drivers are found to have been drinking before being killed in car accidents than are female teen drivers.

Recognizing the problem, Virginia lawmakers recently toughened the penalties for underage drinkers who drive. Since July 1, 2011, Virginia's "zero-tolerance" law has made it a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyone under 21 to drive with a BAC of 0.02 or higher. Punishments have been toughed as follows:
-Mandatory loss of license for one year (up from six months)
-Mandatory minimum fine of $500 (up from a maximum fine of $500) or 50 hours of community service

The hope is that the new teeth in the sanctions will act as a deterrent to young drivers considering drinking. A year without a license is an eternity to some 16 year olds who rely on driving to get to school, work or social events.

In addition, underage drinkers who drive with BAC levels at or above the legal limit of 0.08 can still be charged with regular driving-under-the-influence violations like any other driver. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, almost 1,300 underage drinkers got behind the wheel and received drunk driving convictions in 2010.

You may be the parent of a 16- to 20-year-old involved in a drinking-and-driving incident, or you may be such a young person yourself. If so, it is imperative that you seek the legal counsel of an experienced criminal defense attorney for advice and representation. The penalties are too serious to face the system alone.

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