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If you’re a minor (under 21) and found to be in possession of alcohol, you
may face the following penalties:
- up to a $500 fine,
- a 30-180 day driver license suspension,
- eight to 40 hours of community service, and
- mandatory alcohol-awareness classes.
Any amount of beer, wine or liquor can trigger these penalties. A second or
third offense can lead to suspension of your driver license for 60 to 180 days.
If you’re 17 or older, you also can be fined as much as $2,000 and go to jail
for up to 180 days for a third offense.
Underage Drinking and Driving
If you are under 21, it is illegal for you to drive with any detectable
amount of alcohol in your system. The first time you are stopped for drinking
and driving, you could face the following penalties:
- up to a $500 fine,
- a 60-day driver license suspension,
- 20 to 40 hours of community service, and
- mandatory alcohol-awareness classes.
If you’re 17 or older and are pulled over for drinking and driving with a
blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or greater, you could face:
- up to a $2,000 fine,
- three to 180 days in jail, and
- a driver license suspension for 90 days to a year.
Get caught drinking and driving a second or third time, and the penalties
increase. That’s called zero tolerance. It means zero alcohol. And that’s the
law in Texas.
For Parents
Be a good example: don’t drink and drive. Remind your children to call you if
they’re ever in an uncomfortable situation. Teach them never to get in a car
with someone who’s been drinking.
Providing Alcohol to Minors
Furnishing alcohol to someone under 21 can lead to a $4,000 fine and up to a
year in jail. Selling alcohol to a minor is a Class A misdemeanor, which can bring a
$4,000 fine and land the seller a year in jail. A parent, legal guardian or
spouse can provide alcohol to their child or spouse as long as they are present
when the minor possesses or consumes it. |
