Under 21 DWI in Austin – Don’t, Just Don’t

Whether you are a teenager yourself or you are a parent of a newly qualified driver, there are a few facts you need to keep in the front of your brain:

• The state of Texas uses your blood alcohol level (BAC) to determine whether you have been driving while intoxicated (in other words, drunken driving).
• Adults over the age of 21 are considered to be too intoxicated to drive when their BAC is equal to 0.08 percent or higher.
• If you are younger than 21 years old, any amount detectable whatsoever is too much.

For a first offense, you can expect a license suspension of up to one year, a fine of up to $500, a 12-hour Alcohol Education Program (or an extra 180 days, license suspension if you don’t complete the program). You may also have to do community service, in which case your license could be suspended for 90 days. If so, you could have to get an ignition interlock device.

Well, it can seriously injure, maim or even kill you. Apart from the statutory penalties stated above, having a DWI record can ruin your chances of getting into college, finding a job, or even leaving the country to go on vacation.

Few people leave the house with the intention of getting picked up for DWI. Texas allows juveniles to drink alcohol under certain conditions if their parent is directly supervising them.

One of the few obvious perks of being a parent of a teenager is having a live-in designated driver. It only takes one beer to have a detectable amount of alcohol. If you are driving your mom and dad to a backyard barbecue on the other side of town, don’t even let yourself be tempted. The consequences are just not worth it.