Posts Tagged ‘Teenage Drunk Driving’

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Underage Drinking & Parents’ Responsibility

Posted on Jun 27, 2011

Underage DWI is a very serious offense and the first Underage DWI conviction can lead to loss of full driving privileges, imprisonment and a considerable amount as fine. The underage drinking penalties and punishments are dependent on the state you are living in. You will face administrative suspension of your license if you are under the age of 21 for driving a vehicle with BAC of 0.02% or more.

Though the offense in considered to be neither a traffic infraction nor a criminal offense. However, if you submit the breath test and your BAC is over the legal limit then the first suspension under 21 is for six months and the second suspension under the age of 21 is of one year. In case you refuse to submit the breath test, then your license is suspended for one year and for the second time for 18 months. You will be arrested immediately for the next offense committed.

Parent’s Responsibilities for Underage Drinking

Though underage drinking has become quite common these days due to change in lifestyle, it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor the alcohol abuse by their teenager. Some parents feel it is safer for their teenager to drink at home rather than at parties. However, according to the social host liability laws, parents are responsible for underage drinking in their home. If a parent serves or provides alcohol to an underage drinker at their home, then he/she is liable to cause an accident and gets injured.

Apart from criminal charges, it can lead to a civil lawsuit if you allow your child under 21 to drink alcohol. Social host laws are dependent on the state where the underage lives but parents can be financially responsible for their child’s medical bills, property damage and pain and suffering if an accident is caused due to alcohol abuse.

Therefore, parents should be aware of the activities of their teenagers and discuss the effects of underage drinking and warn them about the consequences. It can affect their future and ruin their lives.

Teenage Drunk Drivers, Underage Drinking1 Comment »Parental Guidance Teenage Drunk Driving Underage Drinking

Underage Drinking – Illegal even Under the Roof!

Posted on Jun 13, 2011

There are many states in the country which are very strict about underage drinking and it can lead to serious consequences. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 30 percent of teenagers between ages 12-20 are prone to alcohol consumption. Statistics indicate that teens tend to start their alcohol consumption experience as early as 12 years which accounting to about 4.2 percent.Underage drinking among teenagers doubles every year, with 40 percent of 17-year-old reporting use alcohol at least once a month.

Consumption of Alcohol by Teenagers at Home

Most of the time these teenagers get their alcohol from bars and liquor shops but state laws also indicates that they get it from their homes as well. According to a study conducted by the Century Council, 65 percent of underage drinking teenagers are able to access their alcohol from relatives or friends under the roof and only 7 percent of them get it from retailers.

Consequences of Underage Drinking for Parents

Though most of the states maintain laws that enable teenagers to drink at home in the presence of their parents or guardian, in 2005, South Dakota Governor, Mike Rounds announced that parents can be convicted if they host parties which encouraged underage drinking. They have implemented the law that providing alcohol to a minor is a Class A misdemeanor with serious legal consequences.

Some states like Colorado, Florida, and Virginia have already passed laws which indicate that the licenses of adults would be suspended for 90 days if they provide or help underage drinkers to get alcohol. As parents, it is their responsibility to take care of their children and give them proper guidance.

Responsibilities of the Parents for Underage Drinking

Parents often feel that giving permission to their teenagers to drink at home is safer as they can monitor the consumption. They also feel that if they are role models to their children in terms of moderate drinking, then their children will also follow this. But this is not the case at all times as in most of the cases teens drinking with their parents at home are prone to it outside the home as well. They also tend to consume more than those who do not drink with their parents.

Parents are Responsible for Underage Drinking at Home

According to the social host liability laws, parents are responsible for underage drinking in their home and they are liable if the teenager meets with an accident or causes an accident. They are also civilly liable as it can lead to a civil lawsuit if they allow their children under 21 to drink alcohol. Social host laws is state specific and is dependent on the state where the underage lives, but parents are financially responsible for their medical bills, property damage and pain and suffering if an accident is caused due to alcohol abuse by their underage child.

Therefore, parents should not encourage consumption of alcohol at home and should monitor them if they are getting into alcohol abuse and warn them about the consequences.

Teenage Drunk Drivers, Underage Drinking4 Comments »Teenage Drunk Driving Underage Drinking

Underage Drinking – How Parents can help?

Posted on Feb 17, 2011

Parents are their children’s biggest role models and play an important role in their children’s drinking habits. According to recent reports, teens are more likely to consume alcohol if they see their parents using alcohol. Parents can help influence their kids drinking behavior in many ways. Usually parents who have responsible drinking habits are more likely to teach their children the same.

How Parents Can Help With Underage Drinking?

Parents should not drink alcohol beverages around their children.
Parents should not give alcohol beverages to their children at home or at parties.
Strict rules and punishment should be set regarding drinking alcohol.
Parental involvement can help reduce underage drinking
It is important for parents to know their children’s friends and their drinking habits.
Parents should communicate with their children often about the dangers of drinking alcohol and using drugs.
Parental involvement can positively influence their child’s behavior.

Age-Appropriate Parent Child Discussion

It is not an easy task to talk to kids about alcohol and drugs, but there are a variety of techniques that can initiate conversations about alcohol usage. Parents need to know what is appropriate to discuss and what strategies would work best on their child. Parents who provide a loving and supportive relationship with their children can significantly reduce the risk of underage drinking.

Reasons for Underage Drinking

Teenagers want to fit in with peers.
Lack of self esteem.
Young people with anxiety problems are at risk of consuming alcohol.
Teenagers that suffer from depression use alcohol to help them cope.
Children from single parent homes usually have alcohol-related problems.
Unsupervised teens will experiment with alcohol and drugs.
Children without a supportive and loving parent-child relationship are more likely to experiment with alcohol.
Peer pressure is a major reason that has also been found to lead to adolescent drinking and alcohol-related problems among teenagers and young adults.
Children from dysfunctional homes use alcohol to ease the pain.
Teens that have conduct problems are more likely to have problems with alcohol.
Alcoholism usually runs in the family, so children of alcoholics are more likely to start drinking at an early age.

Parents need to stay involved with their kids and take time to listen to what they have to say. Kids are more likely to talk to parents who listen to them. Children are less likely to experiment with alcohol when they have a close relationship with their parents.

Teenage Drunk Drivers, Underage Drinking1 Comment »Parental Guidance Teenage Drunk Driving Underage Drinking