You’ve waited all your life for this moment – getting your driver’s license. But you’ll lose it instantly if you drink and drive. Here are the facts about teenagers and driving under the influence (DUI). Alcohol is a drug. Even a small amount of alcohol affects your chances of having a crash. It slows you down, affects your vision and makes you feel overconfident. Don’t be fooled. The legal drinking age in Illinois is 21. In Illinois, when you receive your driver’s license, you automatically consent to submit to certain tests if a police officer believes you have been drinking or taking drugs. If you are under age 21 and found to have any alcohol or any trace of illegal drugs in your body, your driving privileges will be suspended for three months. If you refuse to submit to testing, your driving privileges will be suspended for at least six months. If you are a repeat offender, your privileges will be suspended for at least 12 months if you fail the test, or 24 months if you refuse the test. In addition to having your driver’s license suspended, you may be convicted of DUI. The first conviction will result in the loss of your driver’s license for a minimum of two years. You may also be fined and given a jail sentence of up to one year. If you are convicted a second and third time, the sentences get much stiffer. You could be jailed for three years and have to pay a fine of $10,000. If you drive while your driver’s license is suspended or revoked, you will be penalized. The same thing goes if you allow someone who is under the influence to drive your vehicle. If you give even a taste of liquor to someone under age 21, you face a severe penalty. Time is the only way to remove the effects of alcohol. Coffee, food and showers do not do it. Mixing medications with alcohol is extremely dangerous. The statistics tell a deadly tale. More than 2,000 teens are killed each year in alcohol-related crashes, with almost 100 of these fatalities occurring in Illinois. During a typical weekend, an average of one teenager dies each hour in a car crash. Nearly 50 percent of those crashes involve alcohol. Don’t Risk It. You Drink & Drive. You Lose. Partnering Organizations Illinois State Bar Association Illinois State Board of Education Schools Interested: Please Sign Up To Get A Teacher For A Class!Judges Interested: Please Sign Up To Teach A Class!
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