Other Alcohol-Related Laws You Need to Know

Handled by state legislation rather than the federal government, D.U.I.-related laws are as different as the punishments themselves. The one thing all states do have in common is that they all have some alcohol-related laws in place. The bottom line: no matter where you live, you can't get off scot-free for alcohol-related crimes.

All of this is done for the sole purpose of eliminating drunk driving. These laws and their punishments are meant to prevent citizens from getting behind the wheel when they are drunk. The following are some specific examples of alcohol-related laws:

• - Minimum drinking age: in any state, it is illegal for a citizen under the age of 21 to consume or purchase alcohol

  - Zero tolerance: this law is in place in all states. It makes it illegal for a citizen to have any alcohol in their blood while driving. However, some states set a BAC of 0.01 or 0.02 as the limit so that arrestees cannot argue that cold medicine or another legal source of alcohol put them over the limit.

  - Administrative or illegal per se laws: The limit that a state sets to ensure a person's BAC level does not exceed a specified amount when they have been driving. Many states have set a BAC limit of 0.08. However, the federal government has encouraged states still using the 0.10 limits to switch to the stricter 0.08 maximum.

  - Implied consent: This is the notion that citizens arrested for DUI charges must submit to a breath, blood or urine test to determine their BAC. Those who refuse may be subject to license suspension, revocation, and harsher penalties if convicted.