Underage drinking is a widespread thing nowadays, with more and more teens choosing to enjoy the drink that was deemed completely illegal for anyone under the age of 21 years old. According to studies done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) people between the ages of 12 and 20 in the year of 2009, nearly 10.4 million of them claimed to have had more than a few sips of alcohol that year. When it stats younger, the older they get the more they drink and studies show that by the age of 18, 70% of teenagers have consumed alcohol at least once in their life. These studies also show that while adults on average drink more regularly than an underage person does, when a young person does consume alcohol, there is a greater chance of binge drinking or consuming more than five drinks in one night.

This pattern of drinking in young people is leading to many dangerous results, according to various studies there are an estimated 5,000 fatalities caused by those who are under the influence of alcohol and driving under the age of 21. The fatalities in this study also include people who were fatally injured by homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning, and other types of injuries that can be caused when a person is considered to be drunk. When it comes to being arrested for an underage DUI, various states have different laws on what is the acceptable blood alcohol content (BAC) level in the underage drinker.

In many states, they will have an extremely low BAC level that if the underage driver registers to be at, they will be sited for an underage DUI. For example in the state of Florida, if the driver is tested to have even a .02 BAC then they will likely have to face the consequences for these actions. If this is their first offense, they may face the penalty of having their license suspended. However what is a very important is that because an underage DUI doesn't actually mean that the driver was truly drunk (or otherwise unable to handle themselves) this is actually not a criminal or civil charge. In the event that they are found to have higher than a 0.08% BAC (which is the legal alcohol limit for an adult) then they may be subject to actual criminal DUI charges as opposed to just risking losing their driving privileges.

In other states, there is a "zero tolerance policy" for those who are found to be drinking and driving under the legal age. For example, if the underage driver was found driving and their BAC level read higher than 0.01%, they would actually be arrested for an underage DUI. Because of this policy, any amount of drinking (and driving) will not be tolerated by the state and therefore the minor will be facing criminal charges for their actions. the penalties for a conviction in a zero tolerance state could include not only license suspension, but also penalties such as classes for drug and alcohol abuse, safe driving, and, more.

No matter the state a minor lives in, if they are convicted of an underage DUI charge, not only will they be required to pay the consequences of the law; they may have to deal with the ramifications of their actions throughout their future. Many companies will screen their employees for these types of convictions and it could potentially affect your ability to be hired and other social advances later on in life. Risking the consequences of an underage DUI charge is not worth it without a fight. In the event that you or someone you know has been accused of this, do not wait another moment before contacting an experienced DUI defense attorney in your area for the legal representation you need fighting for your rights and your future!