Drinking and driving increases risk of injury. Lawyers representing Fort Lauderdale crash victims understand this and will look at police reports and all evidence surrounding your accident to determine who is at fault.

Having documentation that reveals a case of zero tolerance DUI may strengthen your personal injury claim against an underage driver. Being able to prove the extent of the other driver’s recklessness and disregard for others’ safety in turn can show his or her degree of fault for the crash.

Florida Zero Tolerance DUI Law Means Swift and Immediate Action

A driver under the age of 21 doesn’t have to get in a car accident to be penalized for drinking and driving. In fact, underage drivers can be penalized just for refusing to take a Breathalyzer test.

If they do submit to testing and have a blood alcohol level of just .02 (as opposed to .08 for drivers over age 21), immediate legal action will result, including: 

• first offense – automatic six-month license suspension;
• second offense – automatic one-year license suspension;
• refusal to submit to testing, first offense – automatic one-year license suspension; and
• refusal to submit to testing, second offense – automatic 18-month license suspension.

License suspension is just one part of a DUI offense. If convicted, Florida DUI law may hold underage drivers subject to the same penalties as drivers age 21 and older. That includes fines, community service, probation, imprisonment, DUI school attendance and more.

Finding a Lawyer to Leverage Florida Zero Tolerance DUI Law

When an accident with an underage, drinking driver causes you to suffer serious injury, lawyers based in Fort Lauderdale will use one other unique aspect of Florida zero tolerance DUI law to their advantage. Because the underage driver’s license suspension is immediate, the wait time to file your claim can be substantially reduced.

In some traditional DUI cases, your lawyers may advise you to wait to file your injury claim until criminal proceedings are complete so that you can use final court documents to strengthen your case. While that is beneficial in the long-term, juggling hefty medical bills and lost income in the meantime can be extremely taxing.

But when an underage motorist drinks, drives and causes a crash, the license suspension is automatic. This means you and your lawyers have one more piece of evidence at your immediate disposal. To ensure that this evidence is correctly supplied to the insurance company and court system, hire a lawyer. A lawyer will be sure it is utilized to the best effect for your claim.

Know How Florida DUI Law Can Impact Your Car Accident Claim 

We’ve been fighting on behalf of Florida car accident injury victims since 1968. Whether you’re seeking compensation against the person or persons who caused your crash or are in the midst of an insurance dispute to get the compensation you need, you’ll find we value our relationship with you. That’s the difference when you’re dealing with Steven M. Falk and Eric A. Falk, of Falk & Falk Law Firm. To get a better feel for what to expect after a car accident, contact our injury lawyers serving victims in Fort Lauderdale at (305) 279-0999 or fill out our online contact form.