There are many reasons why people might be put in a situation where they are driving under the influence of an intoxicant like alcohol or a prescription drug while transporting a person under the age of 17.
Maybe you are a parent who works nights and takes a sleeping pill to ensure you get your necessary sleep during the day and you were not expecting to get the call that your child got sick at school. Perhaps your spouse could not pick your child up from soccer practice and you just sat down with a business client for a cocktail, or you had a drink or two at a school’s social event and believed you were perfectly okay to drive. Maybe you are barely of age to buy alcohol legally and you drank too much at a party and in driving your friend home you were pulled over.
You see, there are any number of reasons why it could be feasible to find yourself on the wrong side of the law with a minor in the car. But what are the penalties you may face?
In addition to all of the other penalties you may receive based upon your level of blood alcohol concentration and the number of past DUI offenses you may have accrued, you will be handed a mandatory jail time of five days. Moreover, you may have as much as a $1,000 additional fine. If this was not your first drunk driving related offense with a juvenile passenger, you will also be required to complete an 80-hour term of community service as part of your sentence.
If you have been charged with a drunk-driving related charge with a minor in your vehicle, you may be wise to reach out to a Virginia DUI attorney as soon as possible. He or she may be able to reduce or eliminate charges or penalties.