A person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is often the main factor considered in a DUI case in Tennessee. Technically, officers can arrest someone if they’re impaired, even if they’re under the legal limit, or if they are impaired by drugs, prescription medications or something else that wouldn’t trigger a breath test. But in many cases, the main evidence against the driver is that their BAC exceeded the legal limit of 0.08%.
One important thing that people sometimes overlook, however, is that this legal limit only applies to adults. It is for everyone who is 21 years old and older, meaning that they can legally drink alcohol under state law.
For those who are under 21, though, Tennessee has a much lower legal limit of just 0.02%. This makes it easier for teenagers to get DUI charges.
It may take less than a drink
High school and college students need to remember that they may be arrested on DUI charges even if they haven’t consumed a full drink. Any alcohol in their system could be enough to trigger the test at this low level, leading to criminal charges.
This can be problematic in some situations, such as when someone didn’t intend to drink or may not have known that they did. Maybe they just had a glass of punch at a movie night with friends. Unbeknownst to them, someone spiked the punch. They may have only had the equivalent of half a drink, but they could be arrested for a DUI anyway.
At times like these, it is important for the young people accused and their parents to understand what legal defense options they have.
