Drinking and driving among America’s teens is a dangerous epidemic. The growing problem is why the State of Indiana has zero tolerance for underage DUI. Under Indiana’s zero tolerance law, it is against the law for a young driver under 21 to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01% or higher. Zero tolerance means that if a driver is under 21, they cannot drink any alcohol and drive. The idea behind the Indiana zero tolerance law is that it is illegal for people under 21 to drink alcohol. It should be unlawful to operate a vehicle while drinking any alcohol. We are an Indiana DUI law firm representing our clients charged with underage drinking and driving. Call our office at (317) 676-4747 to speak with an OWI attorney.
What is the Legal Limit in Indiana
The law considers a person legally intoxicated with a BAC of .08 because impairment is present at this level. With a BAC of .08, vision is negatively affected, reaction time slows, self-control is reduced, and judgment suffers. Unfortunately, alcohol affects people in many different ways. Alcohol has varied effects on individuals based on several qualities, including:
- Gender
- Metabolism
- Height
- Weight
- Race
Again, alcohol has a varied effect on people, and this is why Indiana measures a person’s blood-alcohol concentration, or BAC, to determine the level of intoxication. In Indiana, you are not permitted to drive if you have a BAC of 0.08%. However, because individuals under the age cannot legally purchase or consume alcohol. It is this reason why the BAC for individuals under the age of 21 have a lowered legal limit which is 0.02% BAC.
Buzzed Driving is Still Bad
Even though the legal limit is set at 0.08%, drivers need to realize that your ability to drive is significantly impacted, even if you’re under the limit. An individual would be considered to be “buzzed” at 0.04% BAC. Even though an individual can still legally drive, it is not safe. Buzzed driving is impaired driving. By the time an individual has a BAC of 0.06%, they are twice as likely to get into a deadly crash as a driver who has not consumed any alcohol. This is why there are separate legal limits for drivers of commercial vehicles and drivers under the legal drinking age. CDL holders BAC limit is set at 0.04%, and underage drivers cannot have a BAC above 0.02%. There should be ZERO alcohol in the system for any individual under the age of 21 years old.
Caught Up with a Zero Tolerance Charge then Call Us
If you have been charged with drinking and driving while under the age of 21 years old in Indiana, you need to retain an Indiana DUI lawyer. Call our office at (317) 676-4747 for assistance today.