ORANGE COUNTY UNDERAGE DUI LAWYER

Defending You From Theft Crime Charges

California is known for its harsh prosecution of drivers who are guilty of driving under the influence (DUI), and this is especially true of underage drivers. Those who are under the legal drinking age of 21 years old will face severe penalties if they are caught drinking and driving because of California's "zero tolerance" DUI law. Basically, if there is any detectable amount of alcohol in an underage driver’s blood, then they can be charged with and convicted of a DUI, even if there is no evidence to suggest they were actually impaired or intoxicated.

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE "ZERO TOLERANCE" DUI LAW?

The zero-tolerance law ensures that any underage driver who is found to have a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.01% will be arrested for DUI. Anyone who is under 21 and is suspected of DUI is required by law to consent to a preliminary alcohol screening test or any other blood, urine, or breathe test to determine their BAC. If you submit to a chemical test and your BAC shows up as .01% or greater, you will automatically face penalties under California DUI law.

The penalties for this type of an underage DUI include an automatic one-year driver's license suspension or a one-year delay of driving privileges for those who do not yet have a California driver's license. Some underage drivers think they can avoid a DUI and these penalties merely by refusing to submit to a chemical test, but this is not the case. In fact, refusing to submit to one of these tests will result in a one- to three-year suspension, which is determined by the driver’s prior convictions. This offense is civil and not criminal, and, therefore, the penalties will be enforced by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).