Tampa DUI defense attorney John Musca says that one is the sense of family disapproval, and perhaps isolation. Law-abiding parents may express tremendous disappointment in their teenaged or young adult child who is arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The parents may feel angry at their child or embarrassed that others will believe their parenting was inadequate. Either way, the young person arrested for DUI is likely to take the brunt of the ill will.
Friends and family may also be concerned that the DUI is a manifestation of a drinking problem. Sometimes, young people are charged with driving under the influence on a single occasion, but do not make that error again. The common use of substance abuse treatment in the sentencing process contributes to the stigma and the commonly held belief only alcoholics get DUIs. While a pattern of substance abuse, including one or more DUIs, is indicative of a problem, a DUI can also be a one-time mistake.
Tampa DUI Lawyers note that the consequences for a young person are vast. For instance, a DUI conviction can cause problems for college applicants. Colleges and universities have taken an increasingly hard-line approach to applicants with any kind of criminal record. Now, many decline to admit such applicants at all.
Florida DUI laws can be especially tough in this respect, due to the Baby DUI law. Under Florida law, a person under the age of 21 - the legal drinking age - can be arrested and convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of only 0.02 percent. This is a quarter of the level at which intoxication is presumed in an adult driver.
If you or a young person you know has been arrested for DUI in Florida, contact the Tampa DUI attorneys at Musca Law. We provide comprehensive criminal defense services to help you get your life back on track.
A good anti-drunk driving video for college students, created at the Arizona State University Film School: