Are there different DWI laws for minors?
Yes. Although minors between the ages of 18 and 20 may be charged and prosecuted under the adult DWI laws, the laws for minors differ significantly than those for adults. There, the issue is not whether a minor drove while intoxicated , but whether a minor drove while under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The law states that a minor commits an offense if he operates a motor vehicle in a public place while having any detectable amount of alcohol in the minor’s system. Furthermore, although Texas law prohibits the prosecution and conviction of juveniles for many offenses, the legislature has made special exceptions to prosecute juveniles who drink alcohol and drive.
Yes. Minors between the ages of 18-20 may be charged and prosecuted under the adult DWI laws, but the law is very different for minors. Unlike adult laws that require a driver to be legally intoxicated, a minor need only drive while under the influence of alcohol (DUI) to be convicted. The law states that a minor commits an offense if he drives a car in a public place with any detectable amount of alcohol in the minors system. Simply put, if their breath smells of booze, that is a detectable amount, regardless of the alcohol concentration in their body (i.e. All the alcohol has left your body but your breath stills smells of booze). Don’t take chances with your child’s future. Be sure you have the best possible representation to protect your child against the Texas Courts. Contact Douglas Wilder, your Texas DWI attorney today.
