Frederick Underage DUI Lawyer
Call a Frederick underage DUI lawyer if you or your loved one has been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and is not twenty-one years old. A DUI attorney in Frederick can help you to understand your defense options.
The legal drinking age nationwide is 21, so teens are prohibited from the consumption of alcohol. In Maryland, not only can a teen be charged with underage possession of alcohol but a young person who has even a tiny amount of alcohol can be charged with a DUI. This can affect college and job eligibility in the future, result in a lost license, and leave a young person with a criminal record. A Frederick underage DUI lawyer should be consulted as soon as a young person has been accused of breaking DUI laws so that all efforts can be made to avoid conviction and avoid lasting consequences.
Can a Frederick Underage DUI Lawyer Help?
Young people or parents of teens arrested for driving under the influence should contact an attorney right away after an arrest or charge of DUI. An attorney can begin investigating the circumstances under which the arrest occurred.
- Was the teen pulled over illegally?
- Did the officer have justification to ask for a BAC test?
- What exactly was the teen’s BAC and how was the testing conducted?
All of these questions are going to have an impact on how the young person accused of DUI should respond to charges.
The primary options for fighting DUI charges including pleading not guilty, or pleading guilty. However, diversion programs may be available to help young people try to avoid criminal records, especially if they have no past convictions. An attorney can also work with a prosecutor to help reduce charges or negotiate favorable plea agreements to protect a young person’s future.
The consequences of a DUI conviction can follow a teen for a very long time, and it is important to have a legal advocate working hard to help try to make sure that there are no penalties or minimal penalties after an encounter with the police for allegedly driving under the influence.
Underage DUI Laws in Frederick
For most motorists, the blood alcohol concentration limit set by Maryland Transportation Code Section 21-902 is .08 BAC. However, for teens, there are zero tolerance policies in place because young people are not allowed to drink at all.
This means a teenager can be accused of driving while under the influence of alcohol if the young driver has a BAC of just .02 percent. This is a tiny amount of alcohol, and even smaller than the .04 percent limit set for drivers of commercial vehicles who operate big rigs. A small mistake in the way a toxicology test is performed could result in a false positive, leaving a teen facing serious consequences even without any wrongdoing at all.
A teen could face a license suspension, fines, a lost license, probation, and other consequences if convicted. A prosecutor must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and an attorney will work hard to help try to make sure that a prosecutor is unable to meet this burden.
Contact a Frederick Underage DUI Lawyer Today
Do not wait if you or your child has been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol. Call a Frederick underage DUI lawyer to begin responding in a proactive and smart way to charges to make sure one youthful incident does not mar a promising future.