As a society, we tend to treat teens and young adults with more leniency and understanding. However, this isn’t true when it comes to driving laws. As the Georgia Department of Driver Services points out, drivers under the age of 21 face much stricter penalties for traffic violations than do older adults.
Here are a few examples:
Excessive Speeding
If you are under 21, and you are convicted of driving at least 24 miles an hour above the limit, your driver’s license will automatically be suspended for six to 12 months.
While you may think that 24 miles an hour is far faster than you’re likely to drive over the limit, think again. Especially on roads where the speed limit signs aren’t very frequent, it can be easy to become distracted or to automatically keep up with other drivers who are also speeding.
Driving Under The Influence
Younger drivers have it especially tough when it comes to driving under the influence (DUI). The legal limit for adults is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08, but for those under 21, the limit is only .02. Having less than one alcoholic beverage can easily raise your BAC to .02.
If convicted, you may lose your driving privileges for an entire year.
Four-Point Traffic Violations And Other Offenses
If you are convicted of any traffic violation that carries four or more points, your license will be suspended. You can also lose your license for other reasons. Here are a few of these driving and nondriving offenses:
- Reckless driving
- Racing
- Evading police
- Passing stopped school buses
- Hit-and-run
- Marijuana possession
- Buying alcohol with a fake ID
- Underage possession of alcohol
Are You Willing To Have Your Parents Drive You Around For The Next Year?
Unless you don’t care about losing your license and facing other penalties, it’s best to get an experienced traffic violation attorney on your side. A lawyer can strive to get the charges reduced or even dismissed, potentially saving you a significant amount of stress, money and embarrassment.
