It’s the cool thing to do. The popular kids go to parties and drink alcohol or do drugs, sometimes both. If you want to hang with the in crowd, then you have to be at the party. And once at the party, you have to do what the cool kids do if you ever hope to be popular.
This is the scene our youth all too often face. We’ve seen it depicted in movies and television shows, but all too often we watch without referencing reality. If we aren’t careful, we could have a child who is under 21 and convicted of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs.
The Pressure to Fit In
Ask any teen about what’s important to them, and one of their answers will be acceptance. They want to hang with the cool kids. They want to be accepted by the crowd. They crave approval. Chances are this is a quality we share with our children. Everyone wants to feel wanted, needed, and accepted. But the pressure to fit in can lead to dangerous actions.
Underage drinking and drug use are huge problems in North Carolina and the US:
- Underage drinking on campus is on the rise.
- 1 in 5 students admit to drinking and doing drugs.
- Across America, alcohol is the most widely used substance by teens.
Although alcohol consumption has seen a steady decline since the 1980s, the pressure to fit in is still one of the most common contributors to underage teens consuming alcohol. North Carolina college campuses are one of the most prevalent areas where youth under the age of 21 try alcohol, and the results are often tragic. In 2010 alone, underage drinking cost North Carolina’s citizens 1.5 billion dollars.
If you are a teen seeking the fast track to the popular crowd, stop and think before doing drugs or alcohol. North Carolina’s Zero Tolerance Law makes the consequences of such action life changing. Imagine being 21 and convicted of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs.
The Consequences of Driving While Impaired
Whether you’ve been drinking or using drugs, getting behind the wheel puts you and others at risk. It amounts to driving while impaired, which can rapidly result in your death, the death of your passengers, and the death of an innocent, unsuspecting driver.
The cool crowd may drink and use at parties, but are the consequences worth the diva-like reputation? Consider what happens if you are under the age of 21 and convicted of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs:
- Your driver’s license can be revoked for a full year.
- If you’re between the ages of 18 and 20, your driving privileges can be limited and require the payment of a fine just to use them.
- You could be convicted of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
- The court could order you to complete community service hours and pay a $250 fee on top of jail time.
- You will be liable for paying all court costs, which amounts to hundreds of dollars.
- You could face fines up to $1,000.
- Your insurance premiums could inflate by 400 percent!
Not only does a conviction cost you now, but it continues to cost you. Insurance premium hikes can last for as much as three to five years. Marks on your license could take up to seven years to fall off. And chances are you’ll need your parent’s help to pay the fines and fees surrounding your conviction, which means you’ll have your parent’s disappointment to cope with on top of everything else.
What happens if you are under 21 and pulled over after having consumed alcohol, and it is detected? According to the NC Department of Transportation, you face:
- Immediate loss of your driver’s license for 30 days plus a $100 fee due before you can reclaim your license.
- Any BAC reading above 0.00 on an alcohol screening is sufficient evidence for a conviction in court.
- If the odor of alcohol is detected, and you refuse to take an alcohol screening, the court will still see as sufficient evidence to convict.
- If you refuse a chemical analysis, you will automatically lose your driving license for a full year.
- If alcohol is detected during a stop, and you’re underage, your insurance premiums could increase by 400 percent for 3
The Long Term Consequences of Conviction
Trouble with the law is serious. An underage drinking and/or driving conviction could haunt you for years to come. It could impact your school life and future employment opportunities.
If you are under the age of 21, you have to ask yourself if popularity is more important than steering clear of legal trouble. Is it smarter to risk a conviction and gain that “diva” title the popular kids flaunt—the kind of title that only lasts through a year or two of school? Or is it better to say no to underage drinking and drug use, steer clear of trouble with the law, and start building a really cool reputation that will last far beyond your school years?
Understand Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Drugs and alcohol are highly addictive substances. Hundreds of teens use them thinking there’s no harm in just one try, but it’s often that one use that starts their fight with abuse and addiction. Before you decide to join the so-called cool kids at the party, take the time to educate yourself.
You can start by reviewing some of these topics:
- 5 Myths Students Believe about Alcohol
- Binge Drinking: It’s Just for Fun
- Drug Education: Drugs and Your Brain
- Drug: Education: A Course on Cocaine
- When Friends Offer Drugs—How to Say No
Does the pressure to fit in feel like it’s too much? Do you ever feel like you can’t control your decisions because of peer pressure? Don’t give up! There are lots of people here to help you. All you need to do is seek help. Why not join our discussions by commenting on our blogs or joining our social media channels? The answers to your questions and needed support can be a comments, tweet, or message away.