Arrested for drunk driving as a juvenile?

As a Pittsburgh juvenile crimes attorney, there are some instances when I receive inquiries from parents of people under the age of 21 who are pulled over for drunk driving. There are many things to consider when an underage person is pulled over for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania. If the child is below the age of 18, or if he or she is an adult between 18 and 21, can make a difference in how a case is defended and how a judge might consider sentencing. This is why it is very important to secure an experienced Allegheny County DUI lawyer as soon as possible after your arrest. There are some promising new facts about underage drinking, but the news isn’t all good. The number of teens who are drinking and driving has dwindled to half of what it was twenty-five years ago in 1990, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Drinking and driving high school-aged teens has fallen 54% in the last twenty-five years, the CDC finds; however, it’s still a problem. The report also shows that one in ten teens say they have consumed alcohol and driven. This amounts to nearly 2.5 million teens admitting to breaking the law. What’s worse is that 85% of teens in high school who have reported drinking and driving in the past month also say that they consumed at least five drinks within a couple hours before getting behind the wheel, otherwise known binge drinking. The NHTSB says that approximately 20% of teenage drivers who are involved in fatal accidents were drinking. That that 20%, more than 80% had consumed enough alcohol to be considered legally drunk. If you have questions about underage drinking, drinking and driving, or juvenile crimes, call Pittsburgh juvenile crimes lawyer Gary Gerson today for a free consultation at 412-219-6875.