Underage Drinking and Driving

By Brittany Woods

In 2011 the Youth Risk Behavior Survey found 39 percent of the teens surveyed stated they had drank some amount of alcohol during the past 30 days, and 8 percent drove after consuming alcohol.

Brevard High schools Resource Officer Ellenberger informed students “Possession of any amount of alcohol on someone under the age of 21 in North Carolina is illegal. There are two different kinds of possessions you can be charged with, holding the alcohol or transporting it, and the possession of alcohol in your body. Driving while under the age of 21 with any amount for alcohol in your system the punishment is a class one misdemeanor.” Officer Ellenberger continued to state the minimum amount it could cost for the misdemeanor is $10,000.

Brevards Chief of Police Phil Harris also informed students on the health issues with teens consuming alcohol “Our brains do not fully form until age 25, that’s the decision making process that takes time to develop, because of that alcohol and drugs affect the younger body more so than the adult.”

Informational Links:
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm

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