You’ve Finally Graduated! Don’t Forget to be Smart!
It seems like you’ve been waiting your whole life to finish school. Many people consider the summer between high school and the time when they start college (or trade school, or simply start working full time) to be one of the most exciting and fun times of their life. While it’s okay to have fun and celebrate your accomplishments, it’s also important that you remember to play it safe during this time.
One of the biggest mistakes teens make after they graduate from high school is getting drunk, which is bad enough, and then compounding that mistake by getting behind the wheel. Don’t be the person in your group who spends the months following high school graduation dealing with the consequences of a drunk driving charge.
The first thing to remember as you celebrate your freedom from high school is that even though you’re legally an adult, you still aren’t old enough to legally drink. You should avoid alcohol as you celebrate your life. Getting caught with booze at this point in your life will result in you being charged with a “minor in possession.”
If convicted of minor in possession charges, your sentencing could include:
- Being required to do up to 32 hours of community service
- Having to pay a $250 fine
If you are convicted of minor in possession charges a second time, the sentencing includes:
- Up to a $500 fine
- As much as 48 hours of required community service
In addition to fines and community service, you will also lose your driver’s license for a full year after your MIP conviction. The conviction could also impact your acceptance into college and eligibility for some scholarships.
If you get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol as a minor, you are in even more legal trouble. Since you haven’t turned 21, any blood alcohol content that exceeds 0.01% is considered drunk driving. If your blood-alcohol level is 0.01% to 0.04% the officer who pulls you over will confiscate your driver’s license. The only way you can hope to get it back is by scheduling an Administrative Hearing during which you’ll learn how the county intends to handle the situation. You will likely be charged with minor-in-possession and may face additional consequences.
If your blood alcohol level is 0.05%-0.08%, you will be charged with a misdemeanor drunk driving charge.
The first conviction results in:
- A one-year suspension of your driver’s license
- Mandatory attendance in an alcohol education program that lasts at least 3 months
- Mandatory attendance in a youth drunk driving program
In many cases, additional charges, such as reckless endangerment, distracted driving, and minor in possession charges are also filed against the young drunk driver.
Spring Break is Coming! Know What an Underage Drinking Charge Will Cost you
Spring break is finally here! It’s time to cut loose, forget all about your studies, and have a good time.
While there’s nothing wrong with relaxing and enjoying yourself, don’t forget that you’re not allowed to drink alcohol until you’re twenty-one years old. If you choose to ignore this, an underage drinking charge won’t just ruin your spring break, it will also have a negative impact on your life over the next few years.
It doesn’t matter if you’re pulled over for speeding or if the cops show up at a party, if your blood alcohol content is over .05 and you’re under twenty-one, you’ll find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
For the record, a single beer is all it takes to put you over .05.
The days when an underage drinking charge resulted in a difficult phone call to your parents and some community service time are long over. California lawmakers have decided to crackdown on underage drinking during spring break.
The first time you get caught drinking while you’re underage, the potential consequences are:
- Serving 24-32 hours of community service
- A $250 fine
- Attending an alcohol education program
Each time you’re caught drinking while underage after the first conviction, the consequences are:
- 36-48 hours of community service
- A $500 fine
- A one-year drivers license suspension
The very first time you’re caught drinking and driving while underage, the potential consequences can include:
- Spending at least 48 hours in jail
- Spending 3 years on probation
- Lowing your good driver status for 10 full years (this will lead to significantly higher insurance premiums)
- 2 points getting added to your current driving record
Some California counties will also install an ignition lock on any vehicles that are registered in your name.
It’s important to remember that minors aren’t the only ones who can get into trouble for underage drinking. Anyone who allows minors to drink will also find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Parents who allow their children to consume alcohol while at home can get into serious trouble if that child is caught behind the wheel while under the influence. A guilty conviction of letting a minor drive while intoxicated includes a one-year jail sentence and a $1,000.
If the court decides that you’ve contributed to the delinquency of a minor, they can hit you with a one-year jail sentence and a $2,500 fine.
Businesses that serve alcohol to minors face a misdemeanor charge that can include a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The charge can also jeopardize their business license.
It is in everyone’s best interest to remember that alcohol and minors shouldn’t mix this spring break.