Local Law Firms Home > DUI DWI Drunk Driving Overview > Driving While Intoxicated > Endangering a Child An individual who is charged with drunk driving while transporting a child under a certain age (depending on your state’s specific laws) is guilty of a different charge of endangering a child by driving while impaired by drugs and/or alcohol. The crime of endangering a minor by driving under the influence of drugs and/or shall not be combined with the crime of drunk driving for the purposes of prosecution and penalties.
The majority of all states have some enforced some type of child endangerment laws when it comes to drunk driving. About half of the states in the country also have implemented drunk driving child endangerment regulations to penalize drunk driving DUI / DWI offenders who transport a child at the time of the crime. These regulations either heighten the current consequences for drunk driving or make it a separate crime to transport a minor while driving under the impairment of drugs and/or alcohol. Did you know? Child endangerment and drunk driving laws vary by state and a variety of other aspects of the case are also taken into consideration when penalties are determined. One of the things that is taken into consideration, for example, is if the accused individual has any prior drunk driving convictions. Other things that are taken into consideration are the driver’s blood alcohol content level and if the driver caused any accidents. |