New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
An underage DWI should never be taken lightly, since it can negatively affect your future in many ways, including your college and employment opportunities. Our skilled New Jersey DWI attorneys can help, whether it is your first DWI or a subsequent charge. Our firm has the resources, knowledge, and experience to handle your case. We have a thorough understanding of what it takes to make a DWI charge stick and what you need to do to defeat it.
According to a new study released by the Colorado State University, about 33 percent of recent high school graduates across the country reported to riding in a car with an impaired driver at least once in the previous year. The study revealed that young adults are more likely to ride with a driver impaired by marijuana than a driver impaired by alcohol.
The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs, analyzed data collected in 2013-2014 in two annual surveys, each of which included more than 2,000 young people one or two years after they graduated from high school. According to the study, the impaired driver was more likely to be a peer than an older adult, which is alarming because young impaired drivers are 17 times more likely than adults to die in a crash when their BAC is over the legal limit.
New Jersey law makes it illegal to operate a motor vehicle while impaired by either alcohol or drugs or both. A person is considered to be driving while intoxicated (DWI) if he or she is operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or greater. An underage DWI consists of a person under the age of 21 operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .01 percent or higher. It is important to note, however, that if the underage suspect has a BAC of .08 percent or higher, they will be charged with a regular DWI, under the main statute, on top of the underage or “baby” DWI charge.
It is important to note that a DWI charge does not mean you are automatically guilty. In underage DWI cases, the prosecution bears the burden of proving the charges against you, and there may be defenses available to you that can help defeat the charges you are facing. For instance, you may concentrate on whether the breathalyzer was used properly by the officer and whether the machine was working properly. If it is found that the machine was not used correctly or not working correctly, the result may be excluded from evidence.
DWI charges can have very serious negative consequences for your life. If your loved one or you have been charged with an underage alcohol or drug DWI in New Jersey, it is vital to retain an experienced DWI attorney who can help. With years of experience, we understand how to challenge the state’s case against you. We can examine the facts of your case and build a defense accordingly. To learn more about how we can help you, call us at 877-450-8301 or reach out to us online.
More Blog Posts: