Driving while under the influence is not exclusive to those who are old enough to drink. Drivers between the ages of 17 and 20, although too young to legally drink, appear to be a high-risk group for intoxicated driving, putting themselves and other motorists in considerable jeopardy, and if caught they're charged with underage/minor DWI.
Juveniles cannot be sent to jail or required to take blood alcohol tests without a parent's permission, and their records are not subject to disclosure. Texas, however, has classified the 17-to-20-year-old age group of drivers as "minor adults," a category that allows Texas authorities to treat these drivers as adult offenders. Consequently, they can be jailed with regular adult offenders and be required to take blood alcohol tests or have their refusal used against them at trial, and their offense remains on their record even when they become adults.
Juvenile experts contend that this age group tends to binge drink, often at high school or college parties. Drinking games often involve copious amounts of alcohol consumed in short periods of time. Texas authorities point out that although drivers younger than age 21 comprise only six percent of licensed drivers in the state, they are involved in 12 percent of all alcohol-related fatalities. An accident involving an alcohol-related death could result in a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
Youthful offenders are also more prone to re-offend, and statistics from Dallas County taken from 2004 to 2009 indicated that nine percent of alcohol-related offenders between ages 17 and 20 had re-offended, with some committing as many as five offenses while still in their early 20s. From 1999 to 2009, the percentage of re-offenders was even higher: About 30 percent of minors getting DWIs had already committed at least one other offense. Furthermore, those who do re-offend often do so within a short time of the initial offense.
Unfortunately, the system allows many youthful or minor adult offenders to opt for jail time in lieu of probation, which entails alcohol education treatment and monitoring with ignition interlock systems or alcohol intake bracelets. Probation would severely restrict a young person's lifestyle and requires community service, which many people cannot afford to do since it would mean taking time off from work.
The lack of required intensive treatment and supervision for even first-time minor offenders is unfortunate. Early treatment could mean a higher success rate for minors and adults who get charged with DWI.
