DUI Charges For Those Under The Legal Age Of Drinking, What Are The Penalties
Under the laws of the Florida state, it’s illegal for any person who is under the age of 21 to drink. Therefore, being convicted of driving under the influence at this age involves very harsh consequences in that judges as well as other authority figures like prosecutors and police officers don’t look kindly on minors who commit these violations. For minors who drive and are found with a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher, they’re already charged with underage DUI. The main reason why law enforcers like police officers, judges and prosecutors make it tough for people accused of underage DUI is that they want to deter any possible future delinquent behaviors. By giving severe punishments and stiff fines for those convicted of underage DUI, the offenders are less likely to commit DUI and other crimes in the future.
With harsh penalties for underage drinking and underage DUI, the situation becomes worse with how being convicted of a DUI under the age of 21 affects a person’s entire life. Anyone under the age of 21 found consuming alcohol and worse, driving under the influence of alcohol is subject to criminal penalties if they’re discovered. If for example, the person arrested for DUI is under the age of 18, appearance before juvenile court is mandated. If found guilty of the charges of underage DUI, penalties include jail time, high fines, license suspension, ignition interlock installation on your vehicle and even lifelong consequences of having a criminal record on your chances for education and employment.
In the state of Florida, many juveniles face criminal charges and underage DUI charges. Anybody under the age of 21 found convicted of underage DUI is considered delinquent. Even if a young offender is referred to in an entirely different word, it still means criminal in the eyes of the law. With a BAC of .02 or higher, underage people found drinking while driving qualifies for immediate suspension of driver’s license. This entails putting a request for a formal review hearing at the Florida Department of Safety and Motor Vehicles Bureau of Administrative Reviews.
A temporary license will be valid for up to 42 days and the hearing can be set 30 days from the request for a review hearing. Without this request from an accused person for underage DUI when his license is suspended, the license can be suspended for up to a year and six months.