Are young people more likely to be arrested on DUI charges? Or, since they can legally buy alcohol, are older adults more likely to get pulled over for driving while intoxicated?
The statistics show that young people are certainly involved in drunk driving episodes. One study says that male high school students who are at least 18 years old are the “most likely to drink and drive” — 18 percent of them.
The least likely age group was female high school students who were 16 years old — just 6 percent. Statistics also show that drunk driving for teens has fallen drastically, dropping by a 54 percent from 1991 to 2011.
Even so, it is difficult to determine exactly how many people decide to drive drunk, as only a very small percentage actually get arrested.
For instance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that more than 1.4 million drivers faced arrest in a single year for using narcotics or alcohol before driving. However, when asked to self-report impaired driving incidents, 112 million people said they had done so. This means that only around 1 percent actually got arrested.
Young people can face DUI charges even before they are legally allowed to buy alcohol. These charges can be highly detrimental to someone’s life — especially as older high school students are about to leave for college and or embark on a career. It is very important for those who get arrested, along with their parents, to understand all of the legal defense options they have in dealing with DUI charges.