In this post we’re going to take a special look at a report about the constantly growing phenomenon of teens and drunk driving. Our main motivation for publishing this post on our law blog is to share teenage DWI horror stories with the young people of the Houston-Galveston area so they can learn about the dangers and potential consequences of driving while intoxicated.
Every year in Houston thousands of people die on the highways as a result of a drunk motorist who may be violating traffic laws, is too drunk to seriously be driving, or simply losing control of their vehicle altogether.
Teens and Drunk Driving | For Houston-Galveston Teens
Some young people have attempted to commit suicide due to their guilt over killing friends in an alcohol related auto accident. Unfortunately, its widely acceptable to consume alcoholic beverages in the high school culture which adds to the potential problem of teen-aged drivers operating vehicles while drunk.
If someone loses their life in an alcohol related accident, the criminal penalties will be stiff for the accused offender if they’re convicted. This can mean serious financial penalties and lengthy jail sentences that can reach up to 20 years TDCJ. The Law Offices of Tad Nelson and Associates handles DWI cases for college students and under-aged minors on a normal basis. We ready to help if you or your teen are in trouble with the law.
Galveston, League City, and Houston DWI Prevention
One way the courts seek to limit the potential for drunk driving is to install breath devices in vehicles which will prevent the vehicle from starting in the event that there is alcohol on the breath of the driver.
Evey 15 Minutes
Other methods of DWI prevention are with the use of car crash re-enactment programs like the Every 15 Minutes program.
School-based alcohol prevention programs are essential in helping to reduce and eliminate alcohol use among adolescents. Evaluative mechanisms to assess these programs are also vital to developing effective educational strategies that address the circumstances that place adolescents at risk for underage drinking and driving under the influence. The Every 15 Minutes program is a first-generation model of school-based alcohol prevention that incorporates simulated alcohol-related consequences with various community elements.
Elemental to effective school-based alcohol prevention programs are integrated community wide initiatives to raise awareness of the consequences of underage alcohol use and to deter access through a combination of countermeasures including legal, enforcement, medical, media, and political entities. Every 15 Minutes Program is a model of both school and community-based alcohol prevention that incorporates simulated alcohol-related consequences with community elements that include students, parents, educators, school administrators, health systems, and law enforcement personnel.
The alcohol related DWI car crashes that are sponsored by Every 15 Minutes attempts to add illustration to the message of DWI prevention by setting up DWI reenactments. With parents, teachers, firefighters, students, and the whole of the community contributing to DWI awareness in Galveston, there have been some signs that the numbers of DWIs involving teenaged drivers in the Houston, League City, Galveston area are being positively effected.
If you have teens in your family and live in the Galveston area, make sure they are aware of the dangers of driving while intoxicated.
