Kids will be heading back to school soon, but the pressure to drink alcohol during summer festivities can linger into the school year with new friends and back-to-school parties. While law enforcement in Wisconsin can’t force underage youth to abstain from drinking alcohol, they can reduce the risk of underage drinking and help protect teens and others on the road from the deadly consequences of alcohol by enforcing the state’s underage DUI laws.
Like every state in the U.S., Wisconsin enforces a legal drinking age of 21. To further encourage teens and underage adults not to drink and help prevent underage drunk driving, Wisconsin also has a Zero Tolerance policy when it comes to underage drinking and driving. That means that any driver under the age of 21 with a blood alcohol content (BAC) over 0.00 will be arrested for DUI. Here’s a look at the consequences underage teens and young adults will face if charged with underage drinking and driving:
- Fine: Minimum of $200
- Driver’s License Suspension: Three to nine months; one year for a breath test refusal
- Points on Driving Record: 4
- Other: Participation in a driver’s traffic safety education program and an alcohol assessment for a breath test refusal
These consequences increase with subsequent offenses. Underage teens and young adults arrested for drunk driving can also expect to face the consequences of some of Wisconsin’s other underage drinking laws. For example, possessing or consuming intoxicating liquor, including wine, results in a fine ranging from $263.50 for a first offense to $767.50 for a fourth offense.
Avoid a DUI and the other dangerous consequences of underage drinking this summer and throughout the school year by abstaining from alcohol consumption. Feeling the pressure? Check out our tips for saying no to alcohol so that you stay sober and your friends are ok with it.