Penalties for Baltimore Underage DUI Charges

For underage drivers charged with a DUI the penalties are exactly the same as if they were over twenty-one. The maximum penalty for a first offense DUI is one year of incarceration, a $1,000 fine, and 12 points against an individual’s driver’s license. However, in Maryland, it is rare for a first offender to receive anything like the maximum sentence. A more typical first offense sentence that someone may be able to get with the help of a Baltimore underage DUI lawyer is no incarceration, fines, and a period of probation.

Driver’s License Penalties

There is a pretty significant difference between the people who are over twenty-one and under twenty-one in terms of license suspension. If a person is under twenty-one when they are charged with a DUI, the MVA cannot modify the suspension of their driver’s license unless the person participates in the ignition interlock program for six months. So, for example, when an individual is over twenty-one and they blow a .014 BAC or lower into the Breathalyzer, they are eligible for a modified work restricted license during the period their license is suspended which is forty five days for a first offense.

If a person is under twenty-one, they cannot get that forty five-day work restriction. If they want to drive during the period of their suspension, they need to install the ignition interlock device in their vehicle and maintain it for at least six months, even in a case where an individual blew a .08 or a .09 BAC. That is a significant difference people under twenty-one experience in their penalties for DUI.

Long-Term Consequences of An Underage DUI

That depends on the outcome of the DUI charge. If the DUI is acquitted, the individual is found not guilty, and the case is expunged, there won’t be any effect at all. It will be as if the charge never happened. When an individual is convicted of a DUI there are longer-lasting implications for their future if they have a career involving driving, want to pursue a commercial license, or drive with a regular license. Many employers are unwilling to hire individuals for a driving position when they have a history of DUI on their record. That is one of the big implications for people who are under twenty-one convicted of DUIs.

Alternative Punishments for Underage DUIs

Typically with a first offense, an individual does not receive active incarceration unless there is something particularly egregious about their case. Usually, for a first offense, the court gives the individual a period of probation, usually for twelve months. They order the person to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel and complete alcohol classes, if they haven’t done so already. They order the person to pay fines and may order them to attend a one-night session at Shock Trauma where they can see victims of automobile accidents. Those are some of the typical alternative sentences courts can order for underage individuals.

What Parents Should Know

Parents should know that there are two separate processes involved in a DUI case. There is the court process and the administrative license suspension process. They are separate and independent, so it is extremely important for parents to stay on top of that. The driver’s license process is very time sensitive, so people want to request those hearings almost immediately after being charged with a DUI. Parents should know to listen to their child’s attorney and help their child do everything the attorney tells them to do.