Underage Drinking Could Lead to Loss of License
A new bill passed in Illinois states that any minor charged and convicted of underage drinking could lose their driver’s license for up to 3 months — without ever stepping foot near a car.
The bill, which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly in August 2007, went into effect on January 1st. Though the house and senate votes were close to unanimous, the new law is being met with much more disagreement by the public. People seem to agree that “drunk driving is wrong,” but find fault with punishing minors who are “just walking and not causing a ruckus or anything.” This, one 20 year old Monmouth College student feels, “shouldn’t be a big deal.”
Another Monmouth College student comments that there is in fact “an association between drinking and driving, but drinking doesn’t [imply] that you’re going to be drinking and driving… all [this law serves to do is] punish those who may or may not be drinking responsibly.”
Albert Algren, Warren County State Attorney, defends the new bill, stating that the new law is not supposed to be fair, but more of a way to get people’s attention and “a good way to get their attention is to take away their driving priviledges.”
The effectiveness of the law is still being questioned, and it is uncertain to what degree it will be enforced.
Read more here.
Related stuff:
- Foreign Students: Different Views on Lower Drinking Age For many American college students, the 21 year old drinking age feels restraining and is an excuse to break the law. According to a recent discussion by the Minneapolis...
- New in GTA IV: Driving Drunk Grand Theft Auto - especially the latest version, GTA IV - has experienced its share of criticism for its realistic violence and excessive profanity but a new portion of the game,...
- New Study: High School Drinkers Become College Drinkers According to a new study from the University of Maryland, the amount that a person drinks in High School is a strong indicator of the amount that they will drink in...
“the new law is not supposed to be fair”
…What? It’s okay to pass unfair laws because the government knows what’s best for us?
Because politicians are so high and mighty and never drank underage. Way to criminalize half of minors, Morons. We all know that drinking and driving is bad, making them unable to drive for 3 months for something that if they got caught, they wouldn’t be able to drive for 6months to a year. That makes sense!! Come to America, so you can work for slave wages and not have rights until you’re fully assimilated! Come to America where we spend 4% on education and 45% on war an police our citizens, err i mean our minorities Yes, America, home of the American dream! The current generation running the country must have forgotten that the Government is NOT their friend. But what do we know? Racism is dead! The people are richer than ever! Health care is the best in the world! America is the best in the world!
Yeah, I am quite familar with this law. Pennsylvania has had it for a few years at least. Last summer my license was suspended for three months for the minor charge of underage drinking. PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) seeks your license for this offense. It is not awarded by the local Magistrate whom does make the decision as to what fines or counsiling may need to be down. It is more of an inconvienence for parents of potential underage drinkers than it is for the convicted. I’m surprised protests have not begun especially due to the fact that it happens even when DUI isn’t in the picture.
PS… I left out a piece of the URL for my website so if your ACTUALLY looking for ME and not that John guy. Click this “”Cory”" link to the left to get my real myspace page.
Thank you and goodnite!
Peace, Love, Beer,
Johnsy
This law is so fucking gay, wow lets do the smart thing and walk but stil get are licence fucked, okay i might as well get in my fucking car and drive and still get the same punishmnet lol wow i feel like im smarter then are gov
To above poster “FUCK THIS LAW”:
The punishment for actual DUI is much stiffer than three months (and underage limit is anything > 0.0). I would expect only people who can’t spell “our” to believe otherwise. I hope, for your sake, your comment was sarcastic.
… I’m not saying the law isn’t in the spirit America supposedly represents. It’s crap, but not free murder for a bank robbery.