Law enforcement across the state will be on the lookout for underage impaired driving with a high-visibility enforcement campaign

Beginning Friday and running through May 9th, law enforcement across the state will be on the lookout for underage impaired driving with a high-visibility enforcement campaign. The timing of the campaign will coincide with statewide prom and graduation dates, which are often when teens and young adults consume alcohol. At the end of the first quarter of 2021, teen fatalities were up 63% over this time last year. In the last three years, there were 24 fatal crashes and 101 serious injury crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver under the age of 21. As a result of making this wrong choice, 26 people died and 132 were seriously injured in these crashes. Missouri has a Zero Tolerance Law. If you are under 21, your license will be suspended if you’re caught driving with even a trace of alcohol in your system. Consequences of drunk driving include jail time, the loss of driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Other financial hits include higher insurance rates, attorney fees, and court costs.