For many teenagers, living life on the edge is an exciting and rebellious temptation. Teenagers like to experiment with alcohol and drugs out of curiosity. Narcotics and intoxicated beverages make them feel more adult, and come with the added thrill of hiding disobedience. A recent documentary on ABC news highlighted the factors that cause teens to binge drink. Most often, it is peer pressure and a desire for acceptance that cause young men and women to gulp alcohol or smoke illegal substances. After consuming these substances, teens often drive home, causing danger on the roads.

A teen in Tampa, Florida is extremely familiar with the temptation to drive under the influence. This young woman with the initials K.M. has been convicted of three DUIs within three weeks, and now faces possible jail charges. She was arrested on February 24th for taking Xanax and marijuana, and the police discovered pamphlets on various drugs in her vehicle. Not long after, K.M. was caught behind the wheel again and charged for possession of marijuana and a DUI. In both of these cases, the teen walked away free on bail. One day after her second arrest, K.M. was pulled over and convicted again, this time with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The high school student claims that she wasn't drunk when she was pulled over, but she was high on marijuana.

While this is an extreme example, it remains true that many teens are convicted of DUIs every year. Even more adolescents get away with this crime, or injure someone else because of their recklessness. About 3,000 teens die every year because of a DUI accident. Nearly 70 percent of all teens consume alcoholic beverages, even though it is illegal to do so. While stores are required to check I.D.'s and cannot sell alcohol to a person under 21, teenagers find creative and crafty ways to get alcoholic drinks. Because alcohol is the easiest addictive to obtain, that teens are commonly pulled over for liquor consumption.

Teenagers are not experienced with alcohol, and can drink more than they intended to. 28 percent of all teen accidents occur because the driver was intoxicated, and 40 percent of all car crashes are because of an impaired driver. When it comes to teens and drunk driving, the law has no leniency. There is a zero-tolerance law for children under 21. This mandate is effective in every state. While this may sound extreme, studies show that drivers with a BAC of 0.02 percent to 0.05 percent are 7 times more likely to die in a crash than a sober driver is. Teens involved in drunk driving with any BAC level above zero are eligible to receive the same punishments as a 21 year old with a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher.

Normally, a teen will also be commanded to take an alcohol education and assessment course as part of their punishment. In this class, the offender will be taught the dangers of substances like alcohol and drugs and their effect on the body. Sometimes the adolescent will be interviewed and inducted into a rehabilitation program or compelled to meet with a psychologist. These programs help teenagers to fight addiction and break free of alcohol or drugs. A first-time DUI offender will normally have his or her license suspended for up to 90 days. Good behavior or community service may help to shorten this sentence in some states but in other states, such as Colorado, it is the mandatory minimum.

When teen is convicted of a second or third DUI, he or she will lose his or her license for one to three years. A teenager who did not have a license at the time of the arrest may be restricted from obtaining one until he or she is 18 or 21 years of age. In addition to these punishments, teens may be sent to juvenile hall or county jail for up to one year. Offenders also commonly pay up to $1,000 in fines. These punishments are supposed to be barriers that will discourage teens from drinking and driving. This way, the government can prevent the amount of deaths and injuries from careless alcohol and drug abuse and getting behind the wheel with these substances.