Play By The Rules

Drinking and Driving

The Neoga Police Department says "Use It and Lose It." This is the zero tolerance law for under age drivers in Illinois. Drivers under age 21 with any trace of alcohol in their systems will lose their driving privileges. The law allows law enforcement officers to request a chemical test after a traffic stop and issuance of a Uniform Traffic Ticket, when the officer has probable cause to believe an underage driver has consumed alcohol. After administering such tests, the law enforcement officer submits a sworn statement to the Secretary of State and the offender's drivers license is suspended.

Drinking and Driving Penalties for Drivers Under 21

	Zero Tolerance *(BAC of .01 or greater)	DUI Conviction (BAC of .08 or greater)
*  Loss of driving privileges              1st violation	3 months	2 years minimum
*  Test refusal - 1st violation	6 months	2 years minimum
	1 year	Until age 21, or 5 years maximum
	2 years	Until age 21
*  Effect on driving record	Except during suspension period, not on public driving record as long as there is no subsequent suspension	Permanently on public driving record

Other Laws to Know

 It is illegal to transport alcoholic beverages in the passenger area of a vehicle unless the beverages are in their original sealed containers. No matter whom the alcohol belongs to, everyone in the vehicle can be charged with illegal transportation. If you are driving the vehicle, your driving privileges will be suspended for 12 months for the first offense. A second offense will result in the revocation of your driving and vehicle registration privileges

 It is a Class A misdemeanor, with a possible fine of $1,000, to knowingly allow individuals to gather at a residence when the individuals are under age 21 and are drinking.

 It is a Class A misdemeanor for people to display another person's ID card as their own. It is a Class 4 felony to possess a fraudulent ID. For an ID crime, the Secretary of State's office has the discretionary authority to suspend driving privileges for a minimum of one year for the first offense. The Secretary of State does not need a conviction or even an arrest to act administratively, without a preliminary hearing & to take away driving privileges. The suspension, unlike a DUI suspension, appears on the driver's public motor vehicle record for the next seven years.

 Under a new federal law students convicted of drug offenses will lose their financial assistance at any college in the country.

Source: Illinois Secretary of State