6 Repercussions of Being Charged with a DUI as Minor
Dealing with a drunk driving charge as a minor is not as serious as if you were an adult. However, there are still some repercussions that you will have to face. These include having to do community service, having to go to alcohol education classes, and having to pay a fine to the courts. Read ahead to learn more.
License Delay/Suspension
If you have not gotten your license yet, the DUI will postpone this. You won’t be able to receive it for another year or two.
Now, if you already have your license, it will be suspended for up to 18 months. License suspensions are a penalty that even adults who have been charged with drunk driving face.
Once your license has been renewed, you won’t be out of the woods. You will need to install an ignition lock on your vehicle.
Attend Alcohol Education Classes
The juvenile court will make sure that you take the dangers of drinking while driving seriously. So, attending alcohol education classes would be made mandatory. You will have to attend them for up to a year minimum.
Do Community Service
Most of the time, minors aren’t sentenced to jail for driving while under the influence. They instead are made to do community service. Of course, the extent of the community service differs depending on the court’s ruling.
Permanent Record
The drunk driving charge will be on your record, and DUI record is transferable from state-to-state. But courts can be more lenient with minors. Make use of this and find a good lawyer to increase the chances of getting the charged wiped off your record.
If you’re in a major city like Toronto DUI lawyers are easy to come by. So, doing your research is important to find the best attorney for the job.
Time in a Juvenile Center
Although most minors have to do community service instead of prison time, this won’t be the case if you have caused property damage, or injured someone while driving under the influence. You would be sentenced to time in a juvenile correctional center. The extent of your sentence differs depending on the damage you may have caused.
Pay a Fine
Regardless of your age, you would have to pay a fine to the court. As you’re underage, the amount you will have to pay would lower than if you were an adult. For instance, a minor would only have to pay $500 if it is their first drunk driving charge, and a $750 minimum fine if it is their second drunk driving charge. However, these charges can be almost double for adults.
Final Thoughts
All in all, these are some of the points you need to keep in mind if you have been charged with a DUI as a minor. There are quite a few repercussions that an underage individual would have to face. The biggest one is spending time in a juvenile center. However, there are ways to avoid this, which we have covered in this guide.
