Consequences of...Driving Under the Influence

Did you know that by signing your Driver's License you are agreeing to take a sobriety test whenever an officer asks you? And if you refuse, your license is suspended for a year. If you think that's bad, did I mention the jail time!

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is NEVER a good idea and if you do, the consequences are serious. It is important for you to know what you are risking if you choose to drink and drive.

Teens under the age of 18 have Zero Tolerance. This means it is illegal to have any trace of alcohol in your blood stream. If any alcohol is detected, your license is taken and you have 10 days to appeal in court or risk losing your license for an entire year. But don't think after 18 you can take more risks. Anyone under 21 with a BAL (Blood Alcohol Level) of .02 or higher can lose their license for 12 months on the first offense and 18 on the second. Driving with an open alcoholic beverage of any kind is also illegal. This means anyone in the car whether they are over 21 or not.

It is the officer's decision to rule out a DUI offense and arrest the driver for DUI. If you are under 18 and get arrested for DUI, you will be taken to JARC, a juvenile detention center and your parents notified to pick you up. If you are over 18, you will be taken to jail and charged with DUI.

In addition to suspension of your driver license for a whole year, a DUI will also cost you some serious cash in fines.

DUI based fines are as follows:

• 1st Offense:  $500-$1000
• 2nd Offense:  $1000-$2000
• 3rd Offense:  $2000-$5000

DUI enhanced fines for BAL of .15:

• 1st Offense:  $1000-$2000
• 2nd Offense:  $2000-$4000
• 3rd Offense:  $4000

End of story, just don't drink and drive. Not only do you have the consequences of suspension of your license, jail time and fines, you could face the biggest consequence of them all - injuring yourself or someone else.

Here are some materials you can share with friends...
        DUI Facts
        DUI Poster