A
study conducted by Florida’s College of Medicine sought to identify risk factors that could lead adolescents to drive after
drinking. According to the study, not all socioeconomic groups are equally
likely to drink and drive – in fact, white males were found to be
the most likely to drive while drunk than Asian, Hispanic, or Black groups.
The study looked at more than 10,000 teenagers enrolled in the National
Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health: 67 percent white, 16 percent
Black, 12 percent Hispanic, and 3.6 percent Asian. The participants were
required to give a full report of their DUI behaviors when they reached
the age of 21.
The study found that there are various cultural tendencies linked with
the likelihood of drunk driving, but interestingly, the teen drivers who
came from high-income families were the most likely to drive while intoxicated.
The panel concluded that this may be because teens in higher earning families
have more access to alcohol than those in lower-earning families. Furthermore,
those who owned cars were discovered to be much more likely to drive drunk,
as were those whose parents gave them unrestricted access to alcohol at
home. Males were also found to be much more likely to drink and drive
than females. In addition, kids with a tendency to binge drink and who
used marijuana were at a much higher risk of DUI.
These findings were published in the Journal for Adolescent Health so that
doctors, teachers, and parents can understand the trends that are leading
more young men and women to drive unsafely.
Teen DUI in Florida
The National Institutes of Health reports that alcohol is involved in about
37 percent of all traffic deaths among drivers between the ages of 16
and 20. Thus, teen DUIs are treated very seriously in Florida. Unlike
adults, teens don't need to register above a 0.08% to be arrested
for a DUI in the state of Florida. In fact, law enforcement officers are
willing to pull over and arrest juveniles who test anywhere above 0.00%
for alcohol in their blood. Some teens that may be arrested for a DUI
will be tried as adults instead of as teenagers if the offense is serious
enough. Depending on the amount of alcohol in the suspect’s blood,
the penalties can be severe.
If your child has been accused of a
DUI and he or she is now facing a court appointment, immediately contact a
dedicated and caring lawyer at Parks & Braxton, PA. Our Fort Lauderdale
DUI lawyers are committed to protecting the rights of the accused in DUI
cases, especially in juvenile cases with potentially life-changing implications.
With more than 40 years of combined experience and thousands of DUI and
criminal cases successfully defended, you can trust that we’ll stop
at nothing to protect your child’s freedom and future.
When you need solid representation, you can trust in the team at Parks
& Braxton, PA.
To schedule a
free consultation with a Fort Lauderdale DUI attorney, please call us 24/7 at (888) 392-1518.