The number of young people who lose their lives due to DUI offence is increasing every year. DUI or driving under influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances is a very dangerous crime that is a danger not only to the offender but also to all those who innocently share the streets with the offender,

The Secretary of State, Jesse White, has decided to address this serious issue though the "Use it & lose it” Zero tolerance law. The penalties for this law apply to anyone who is below the age of 21 and who has any trace of alcohol in their system.

The' use it & lose it' penalties may seem quite harsh to many but they are only for the betterment of society. The various penalties under this are listed below.

1) First offense: If the BAC of the underage offender is more than .00, he will have to face a 3 month suspension of driver's license. If he refuses to undergo the testing or to submit to complete tests, then he or she will face a 6 month suspension.

2) Second offence: It is a huge mistake if an underage person commits the DUI offense again. Therefore, he will face a one year suspension of driver's license if he has a BAC greater than 00, If the person refuses to submit to fails to complete testing, the punishment may rise to a 2 year suspension of driver's license.

3) Commercial Driver: The Zero tolerance law applies not only to underage offenders but also to commercial drivers. Thus, if any commercial driver has a BAC of above 0.00, then his commercial driver's license will be suspended and disqualified for one year if he is a first offender. If he is a second offender, then he will have to face a lifetime disqualification of his am menial driver's license (CDL).

When compared to the yesteryears, the percentage of underage offenders for driving under influence has steadily declined. This is mainly because of the various awareness programs launched by the State. Some of them are as follows:

• Tougher laws for DUI and false IDs

• Programs to prevent youth from DUI.

• Training programs like Operation straight ID.

• Color-coded driver's licenses.

• Remedial education for all those booked and charged for driving under influence.

The 'use it & lose it 'zero tolerance law for commercial driver's and underage offenders is highly effective. This is because this tough law instills fear in the people and they think twice before mixing 'drinking & driving'. Based on the field sobriety tests and other evidences, anyone can be charged under DUI.

Youth is a precious age in every person's life. You don't need alcohol and drugs to have fun and get high. Don't do it just out of peer pressure. All the fun you have should never harm you or any others. So, be careful and take care!