Fort Bend, TX- Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of death for teens because they take risks more experienced motorists won’t. Plenty of adults drink and drive, but more teens are willing to take that risk than adults. The Centers for Disease Control found in their 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Study that 10 percent of participating teens admitted to drunken driving in the thirty days before the survey. That a big swath of teens, so it’s only a matter before one or more are charged with a DWI. Here, our DWI attorneys in Fort Bend, Texas will explain some of the consequences an underage driver faces if they happen to be charged with a DWI.
In Texas, the drinking age is 21 years, so it is illegal for someone under that age to consume alcohol expect if they are in a private setting and have the permission of a legal guardian. It is also legal for an underage person to drink alcohol in restaurants or a catered event as long as they have the permission from a legal guardian.
Even though there are settings in which it is legal for a teen to drink, it is still illegal for them to drink and drive. What’s more, Texas is a no-tolerance state which means that a driver with a blood alcohol concentration more than 0.00 percent can be charged with a DWI.
In Texas, if an underage driver is convicted of a DWI they face up three to eighty days in jail, fines up to $2,000 and a 90-day license suspension period. A second conviction for an underage DUI in Fort Bend carries a possible penalty of up to one year in jail, fines up to $4,000 and a license suspension period of three days up to one year.
The penalties listed above can be quite a burden on an underage person, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. Teens who are charged with a DWI typically face additional charges such as possession of alcohol by a minor or child endangerment.
An underage DWI can leave a teen with a criminal record that impacts many facets of their life. That is why USAttorneys recommends you retain a DWI lawyer in Fort Bend, Texas to work on your defense. We have an outstanding team of defense lawyers who will do everything they can to minimize the negative effects of DWI charge. We can connect you with an attorney who will work very hard on your case and
