Two Crimes For The Price Of One
If you are under the age of 21 and consumed alcohol before driving, you knew you were in trouble the moment you got pulled over and may face underage DUI charges. Driving under the influence is illegal in Pennsylvania, but so is underage drinking. What happens when you are accused of both?
Underage DUIs
The first thing you need to know is that any driver under the age of 21 who is arrested for DUI in Pennsylvania is automatically charged under Pennsylvania’s high BC tier. Even if this is your very first offense and even if you only had a minimal amount of alcohol in your system, your punishment is going to be severe.
The minimum penalties at the High Impairment tier include at least two days (and up to 6 months) in jail, a fine of anywhere between $500 and $5,000, and a 12 month license suspension. This means you won’t be driving again for at least a year.
The Consequences Don’t End There
Drivers under the age of 25 – even those with clean records – pay a lot more for car insurance than older drivers do. If you factor in an underage drinking DUI, your insurance rates will skyrocket; that is, if you can even find someone willing to insure you.
Even worse, your DUI conviction will be noted on your permanent, public criminal record, which can be accessed by all future employers, landlords, lenders, neighbors and anyone else with an interest in your past. Having a DUI conviction on your record can even affect your future interactions with college admission departments and could potentially impede your ability to obtain a job in your chosen profession. If you are in college, you can also face disciplinary action from your school.
Hire An Experienced Attorney
If you are facing DUI charges and are underage, you should hire experienced attorney that knows the ins-and-outs of DUI cases, including:
- How police test for DUI (sobriety tests), and knowledge of how to point out inaccurate police testimonies.
- Scientific knowledge of blood tests and how faulty they are, with experience using the equipment used in the lab.
- For university students, you must hire an attorney experienced in student disciplinary proceedings.
If you are looking for an experienced attorney who is experienced in debunking police tests, blood tests, and is familiar with student disciplinary proceedings, call Brian Manchester at any time for a Free Strategy Session so we can get to know you and help you through the charges set against you.