OWIs and Wisconsin Teen Drivers

 Posted on May 17, 2017 in Operating While Under the Influence

Being charged with an OWI at a young age can be detrimental to a teen’s future. For example, insurance premiums will increase and schools and employers will require disclosure of operating while intoxicated convictions.

If you or your child is facing OWI charges, a skilled criminal defense attorney can work with you to achieve a desirable outcome in your case.

How Common is Drunken Driving in Wisconsin?

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there were 24,000 OWI convictions in 2015. Of those, more than 200 convictions involved drivers under 18. 

Driving under the influence is dangerous. The state reports that 190 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol in 2015. In the same year, almost 2,900 people were injured in alcohol-related accidents.

There were 13 driving fatalities in 2015 that involved drivers under 21 years of age who were impaired. In fact, alcohol was a factor in one-fifth of all driving fatalities in those under age 21 in the state. 

How Common is Underage Drinking in Wisconsin?

Surveys show that among young people ages 12 to 20, 27.7 percent admit to drinking alcohol at least once in the past month and 17.5 percent admit to binge drinking in the past month.

Wisconsin Law on Underage Drinking and Driving

OWI laws in Wisconsin are often considered to be lenient in comparison to other states. However, when it comes to driving under the influence for those under age 21, Wisconsin law has a no tolerance alcohol policy.

This means that if a driver under age 21 has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of over 0.00 percent, the driver could be charged and convicted of OWI. While the legal limit for those 21 and over is .08, younger drivers are held to a far lower standard.

Other states allow for some alcohol to be registered in a smaller amount such as .02 percent. 

Contact a Milwaukee, WI, Underage OWI Lawyer

Our firm is aware of how detrimental an OWI conviction can be to teens. Our attorneys are well-versed in the law and common defenses that could resolve your case. We also routinely work with prosecutors to find alternatives to traditional sentences and convictions.

The qualified Milwaukee drunk driving charges attorneys at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP can be reached at 414-271-1440.

Source:

http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/drunk-drv/default.aspx

https://responsibility.org/get-the-facts/state-map/?state=wisconsin