For Floridians who are arrested and charged with driving under the influence, the potential penalties for a conviction can be severe. It is important to understand the concept of “zero tolerance” in the context of DUI. With zero tolerance in any criminal charge, there will be laws with an automatic series of consequences for a conviction.
Under zero tolerance and DUI, the law focuses on people under the legal drinking age of 21 driving after having any alcoholic drinks. Before zero tolerance, all those under 21 faces the same legal consequences for DUI as anyone else. The blood-alcohol content will usually determine whether there will be an arrest and 0.08% is the legal limit. If the driver is under 21, any BAC level will warrant an arrest.
Statistically, drivers under 21 with alcohol in their system had twice the likelihood of a fatal accident than those of legal drinking age. Since 1988, all states have required people to be 21 to legally drink. Every state in the union has a zero-tolerance law for underage drinkers. The BAC level for these drivers can be 0.01% or 0.02% for there to be a violation. Simply registering alcohol is sufficient.
DUI charges can be difficult in myriad ways. There may be jail time, fines, a loss of driving privileges, the need to have an ignition interlock device placed on the vehicle and more. In addition, it can harm a person’s future as it could inhibit the ability to get certain jobs and be admitted to a school. For people under 21, the possible consequences with zero tolerance are worrisome. If a person has been charged with DUI, especially charges based on zero tolerance, legal assistance may be needed to formulate a defense and reach a favorable outcome.