In Colorado, the age at which a person is legally allowed to consume alcohol is 21 years. Unfortunately, many people ignore this law and drink at least once before that age. It is when a youth decides to drive while drinking that the real problems can begin. Along with the injury risks associated with driving under the influence, young people are also at risk for DUI charges, which can cause lasting damage to their lives.
Many parents look at a first time underage drinking and driving arrest as a chance to teach their child a life lesson. It is easy to understand the logic behind this thinking, but parents in Colorado would be wise to think farther ahead. In many cases, the traffic stop is enough to teach this lesson. Other times, an arrest will scare a teen sober so to speak. Seeking to avoid a conviction altogether is the best way for you to help your child.
As in other states, it is unlawful to operate a motor vehicle when a person’s breath or blood alcohol content registers 0.08. However, for those under 21 years of age, it is unlawful to operate a vehicle with a 0.02 BAC. An underage DUI conviction will result in harsh penalties that will affect your child’s freedom and future for a long time.
Your best course of action is to speak with a DUI attorney. A lawyer has many resources beneficial in developing a defense for your child. With a thorough investigation of all circumstances behind the arrest, it is possible that an attorney can prevent your child from receiving the harshest penalties even if conviction does occur.
We urge you to take a deeper look at our approach to underage drinking and driving defense by visiting our dedicated web page.