Is Your Teen Drinking And Driving? You May Need To Consider Hiring A DWI Lawyer In Houston TX
Since 1991, the percentage of high school teenagers who engage in drinking and driving has gone down by over 50 percent, however, more can be done still. In 2011, almost one million high school teenagers drank alcohol and then drove. It is 3 times more likely that a teen driver will be involved in a fatal crash compared to more experienced drivers. In these situations, you may need assistance from a DWI lawyer in Houston TX. Drinking any amount of alcohol increases the risk greatly for teens. It has been shown by research that some of the factors that help with keeping teenagers safe include a graduated driver licensing system, zero tolerance laws, minimum legal drinking age, and parental involvement. Those proven measures help to protect the lives of not only teen drivers but also everyone out on the roads with them. When surveyed, high school students 16 years old and older stated they had driven a car at least one time over the past 20 days after drinking alcohol.
Driving and drinking can be fatal, particularly for teenagers.
Although fewer teenagers are driving and drinking these days, this behavior is risky and is a major threat still. Drinking and driving by high school teens since 1991 has decreased by 54%. However, high school teenagers still drive after drinking alcohol around 2.4 million times per month. Out of all the high school teens who reported drinking and driving during the past month, 85% of them said they binge drank. Binge drinking in the survey was defined as drinking 5 alcoholic drinks or more within a few hours. In 2010, 1 out of 5 teenage drivers who were involved in a fatal car crash had alcohol in their systems. A majority of those drivers (81%) had a BAC* level that was higher than the adult legal limit. BAC = Blood alcohol concentration. Adults driving with a .08% or higher BAC level is illegal. For anyone less than 21 years old it is illegal in all US states to drive after drinking any amount of alcohol.
What Measures Can Be Taken To Decrease The Number Of Teenagers Driving While Intoxicated
Communities and states can:
- Increase awareness among parents and teens.
- Strengthen enforcement of current policies, like graduated drivers’ licensing systems, zero tolerance laws, and minimum legal drinking laws.
- Health professionals such as pediatricians can screen teenagers for risky behaviors such as:
- Using drugs, alcohol, and other substances
Driving after drug or alcohol use - Riding in a vehicle with a driver who has used drugs or alcohol
Educate teens and parents about the risks involved with drinking and driving - Encourage parents who have new teenage drivers to set “rules of the road” and enforce them and also consider tools such as parent-teen driving agreements.
- Give reminders to parents that they need to lead by example when it comes to being safe drivers, starting even before their kids are old enough to start driving.
What Teenagers Can Do To Avoid Drunk Driving:
- Make the decision not to drink and drive
- Not ride in a vehicle driven by a teen who has drunk alcohol
- Know the GDL laws of their state and follow them
- Adhere to all of the “rules of the road” that are part of the parent-teen driving agreement
- Always wear their seat belt
- Obey the speed limit
- While driving, don’t text or talk on their cell phone
Things Parents Can Do To Help Lower The Chances Of Their Teen Driving While Intoxicated:
Understand that a majority of teenagers who drink do it to get drunk. Be aware of the dangers that teenage drinking and driving pose and that teenage drier are at a higher risk of crashing compared to adult drivers after drinking alcohol. Make sure teens have a safe way of getting home (paying for their cab or picking them up) if the driver has been drinking alcohol. Provide a good example of safe driving behavior. Think about using tools such as parent-teen driving agreements with new drivers for setting and enforcing “the rules of the road. ”
The following should be included in safe driving habits for teenagers:
- Never drink alcohol and drive
- Obey speed limits
- Follow all state GDL laws
- Limit nighttime driving
- Always wear a seat belt
- Never text or use your cell phone while driving
- Limit how many teen passengers can be in a car
For more information on teenage drunk driving and DWIs, visit our blog or request a free case evaluation. For immediate assistance, please call us at (713) 236-8744