Too many parents in Colorado have gotten the call that they dread: their child has been arrested for breaking the law. In these situations, parents can go through a whirlwind of emotions right away. They can experience feelings of fear, anger, anxiety, confusion and disappointment all within a short period of time.
If this sounds familiar and you are dealing with the aftermath of your child being arrested and charged with underage DUI in Colorado, we urge you to try and stay calm and remember that while kids make some bad decisions, they don’t necessarily have to pay for those mistakes for years to come.
In Colorado, underage DUI charges can be filed someone under the age of 21 is driving with a blood alcohol concentration between 0.02 percent and 0.05 percent. If a minor is stopped and has a BAC over 0.05 percent, he or she can be charged with a regular DUI and face the harsher consequences that are handed down to adult offenders.
Of course parents can be angry and disappointed to learn that their child has not only been drinking but then made the horrible decision to get behind the wheel of a car. However, it is a mistake that many young people make as they go through adolescence, pushing boundaries and taking unnecessary risks.
Rather than punish a teen for this type of mistake into adulthood, it may be wise to instead approach the matter as a critical learning experience. Parents of course want their children to learn their lesson, especially when they have broken a law, but the fact is that a conviction with overly harsh penalties can destroy a young person’s future.
The attorneys at Pearson & Paris understand that this is a very upsetting and scary situation for both a teen and his or her parents. However, we can help your family understand what is at stake and what options you have to mitigate the potential consequences of a youthful mistake.
For more information on our law firm and how we approach cases involving underage DUI, please visit our website.
