Underage Drivers Who Drink & Drive

Alcohol, Drugs & Young Drivers

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a major problem for ALL drivers, even more so for young, inexperienced drivers. Even small amounts of alcohol or drugs may affect everyone’s driving ability. For a new driver the result is often tragic. All states have strict laws governing underage drinking. It is imperative that you inform your teen that he or she could injure or kill someone when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Setting a good example by never driving while under the influence of any intoxicating beverage or drug is the best way to help ensure that your young driver does the same.

Emphasize that your son can and must call you anytime he feels unable to drive or whenever he is with another driver who shows signs of being unable to drive. There should be no criticism or punishment if your daughter calls you from a party needing a ride home. In fact, you should praise her for using common sense and avoiding possible tragic results. You should also make sure that everyone who has been drinking has a safe way to get home.

Safe Driving Tips for Underage Drivers

Vehicular crashes remain the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 20. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this age group comprised about 30% of the 6.3 million crashes reported in 2003. Young men are at especially high risk for fatal accidents, having nearly twice the risk as young women in the same age group. It is your responsibility as a parent of a young driver to ensure his or her safety. Together with your son or daughter’s school and community awareness groups, you need to make sure that they understand the most common causes of auto accidents. Most new drivers, since they have little driving experience, are not able to detect and respond to unexpected road conditions. They are also more likely to exhibit risky driving behavior such as speeding or frequent lane changing, especially when their friends are in the car. You should strictly limit the number of friends that are allowed in your new driver’s car. Some states set a limit on the number of passengers in the car being driven by an inexperienced driver.

You should also make sure that your son or daughter get as much supervised driving practice time as possible. You need to also try to limit night driving when your teen is a new driver since he may be more fatigued at night, when it is already more difficult to drive due to decreased visibility.

Seat Belts

It has been documented that young drivers only ‘buckle-up’ about 75% of the time. The risk of injury to a young driver involved in a severe crash more than triples when seat belts are not in use. Make sure your teenager always buckles up to avoid injury and remind them of the ‘click it or ticket’ slogan used by law enforcement. If a young person receives a ticket for not wearing a seat belt (or for any reason) their driver’s license may be suspended or revoked for a period of time. Take a look at DUI Sobriety Checkpoints.

If your teen-aged child has been charged with DUI, please fill out our secure free legal evaluation form and one of our DUI attorneys will contact you immediately. Or you can call us toll free at 800-798-8384. Penalties for DUI can be strict and long-reaching for underage drivers. Our experienced lawyers can help your family through this difficult time. Your information will remain confidential at all times.