A relatively young driver may be unaware of just how serious is the matter of being caught driving while impaired or driving under the influence. This is not just a traffic citation; the state considers it to be a criminal offense. If the driver is too young to be drinking legally, that is another point of severity that makes the potential consequences even worse. The services of a DWI defense lawyer in Tyler TX may be necessary to help this person.
An Arrest
A person under the age of 21 who is stopped because of erratic driving behavior may be shocked to discover that this stop could result in an actual arrest. The driver is typically brought to the police station or another official location after a breath test and perhaps a field sobriety test. There, a blood test establishes the blood alcohol content.
Zero Tolerance
For those of legal age, the amount is .08 percent. Since people who are not yet 21 are not supposed to be drinking alcohol, the acceptable legal BAC level for these drivers is only .02 percent. For those of legal age, the amount is .08 percent. That means a driver could hardly have imbibed any alcohol at all without the blood content being measured as illegal. A DWI defense lawyer in Tyler TX uses a variety of strategies to help these young clients with their cases.
This is called a zero tolerance policy, and it applies to drivers under 21. The legal limit is set at .02 to allow for the possibility that the driver had used mouthwash or liquid cough medicine containing a small amount of alcohol.
The Assistance of Legal Counsel
Aside from the blood alcohol content, other aspects of DWI or DUI conviction in Tyler TX are the same for underage drivers as for adults. The potential penalties are the same, and judges may be more inclined to issue higher ones to younger offenders in an effort to prevent them from going further down this path. Even if the person is convicted, they should remember this isn’t the end of the world. With the assistance of a lawyer such as Holmes, Moore, Waldron, & Parrish P.L.L.C., penalties may be minimized to the lowest level allowed by law.
