Underage Crimes and Their Impact on a Teen's Life

Underage Driving

One of the rites of passage teenagers are most excited about is driving, however, if they don’t follow their state’s traffic laws, they may suffer severe consequences. Each state has their own driving and licensing laws, in most states, you must be at least 16 years old to drive a vehicle and to apply for a driver’s license. Some states not only impose an age limit, but also a minimum amount of practice hours behind the wheel and a provisional driver’s license is issued before a permanent one.

Some young adults believe they are ready to drive and begin driving before the legal age limit. The risks of underage driving not only include causing a car accident, but an underage driver could be liable for the damages and injuries caused by the accident. Most insurance companies do not cover vehicles driven by a person without a license, so the driver or the driver’s parents will have to personally cover for the damages in the accident. Other penalties for underage drivers include having the car impounded, the underage driver could be arrested and be obligated to pay fines.

Underage Drinking

Underage drinking is another illegal act common among teenagers, unfortunately many of them disregard all the dangers associated with it. Some of the risks of underage drinking include:

• Physical or sexual assault

• Unwanted, unplanned or unprotected sexual activity while intoxicated

• Legal issues for purchasing alcohol as a minor or driving under the influence

• Accident such as falls, car accidents, and drowning

• Death from alcohol poisoning

According to the CDC, excessive drinking causes more than 3,500 deaths among underage youth each year in the U.S. Talk to teenagers in your household about the dangers of underage drinking, discuss not only the health repercussions but the legal ones as well.

Underage DUI

Teenagers sometimes will engage in underage drinking, and if they have access to a vehicle, they will often drive under the influence of alcohol or even drugs. Punishments for a DUI as an adult are severe, the consequences for an underage DUI could impact a young person’s life further than they expect. The consequences for an underage DUI charge vary depending on the state where the offense was made, but most penalties include some form of the following:

• Impound of the motor vehicle

• Possible jail time

• Community service and/or attendance at DUI school

• Fines

• Juvenile detention

• Probation

Causing a car accident while driving under the influence can increase any of these penalties. If someone close to you has been charged with an underage DUI, you should speak with a criminal defense attorney near you as soon as possible. An attorney will be able to guide you through the legal process and can get the charges reduced or dismissed, depending on the case’s specifics.

Possession of Drugs

Possession of narcotics ad an underage can have different penalties, depending on the state where the juvenile is charged. Some of the penalties a teenager can face include drug counseling, probation, juvenile detention, community service, and other penalties. Studies show the most common drugs possessed by minors are marijuana, cocaine, LSD and prescription medications like Vicodin, Adderall, Xanax and Ritalin. Minors are subject to lesser penalties compared to adults, but this doesn’t mean that there are no consequences for a minor caught in possession of an illegal substance. Depending on the judge assigned to the case, and if the minor has any prior offenses, the accused could face serious criminal consequences that could have a lasting impact on their life.

Underage crimes will not only have consequences with the law, but a criminal background could affect a minor’s opportunities when applying to colleges, college scholarships, job applications, and other aspects of their lives. Speak with the minors in your life about illegal activity and how it could impact their future.