Virginia takes drinking and driving seriously, and even a first-time conviction for driving under the influence may result in serious penalties. While a first-time DUI may lead to up to a year behind bars, a year’s loss of licensure and hefty fines, among other possible repercussions, the penalties become even more severe if you had a minor in your car at the time of your arrest.
Per the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the consequences associated with drinking and driving with a juvenile passenger in your vehicle are considerable and as follows.
Criminal consequences of drinking and driving with a minor
Virginia considers anyone under the age of 18 to be a juvenile. If your DUI stemmed from a traffic stop where you had a juvenile in your car, you must spend an additional five days behind bars in addition to other sentence obligations. You should also expect to have to pay up to $1,000 in extra fines. A second DUI arrest involving a minor carries even harsher penalties. In this scenario, you may have to perform another 80 hours of community service in addition to other sentence terms.
Non-criminal consequences of drinking and driving with a minor
A conviction for DUI with a child in the car may also have non-criminal consequences. For example, it has the potential to impact any custody or visitation rights you may have to any children you share with someone else.
Many different factors may impact the outcome of a DUI case. Whether the law enforcement officer had a valid reason to stop you in the first place is among them.
