Underage drinkers beware

Pennsylvania drivers under the legal drinking age may now be one beer away from a DUI arrest and not even know it.

Late last year the state legislature -- in an effort to strengthen the laws against underage drinking -- passed a law changing the cutoff point for people under 21 from .10 percent to .02 percent blood alcohol content for a driving under the influence violation. The limit for drivers 21 and over remains at .10 percent.

"With the change in standard for persons under 21, for most people that would be as little as one beer and no more than two to bring you up to the DUI," said Thomas Harmon, director of University Police Services.

A DUI conviction entails possible jail time, a fine of at least $300, not including court costs, and is kept on the driver's police record for seven years.

But even with a DUI conviction's substantial penalties, many students are still not aware of the changes.

Wendy Tobias (junior-political science) had no idea that DUI regulations had changed.

"I think a lot of people who are affected by the new law don't read the newspaper and have no way of knowing about the change," Tobias said.

Matt Orr (senior-chemistry and molecular cell biology) was also unaware of the change, but said he understands the need for the change.

"If a person is not 21, then they shouldn't be drinking anyway, so I don't see any way they should get out of a DUI," Orr said.

State College police have already made many underage DUI arrests with a blood alcohol level between .02 and .10 percent, said Joseph Zaffuto, an officer in the traffic division of the State College Police Department.

Ignorance is no excuse, Zaffuto added.

"What the law is saying to these people is, 'You weren't supposed to be drinking anyway, so how dare you get behind the wheel of a car,' " Zaffuto said.

Not everyone believes the new law is fair, though.

Matthew Bender (sophomore-aerospace engineering) said he was familiar with the rule change, but disagrees with Orr and Zaffuto.

"I think it's ridiculous," Bender said. "Age has no difference in how well you can control your alcohol. Just because someone is 21 doesn't make them this magical person who is capable of drinking and driving at above .02 percent."

Michael Goldstein (freshman-biology) agreed that there is a discrepancy in the law.

"There should be one universal alcohol level for the two age groups," he said.

But Harmon said the law was not enacted because legislators believe that people under 21 cannot drive as well intoxicated as those over 21.

"This is intended to support the prohibition against the consumption of alcohol by those under 21," Harmon said. "Even if there's no evidence of the inability to drive safely, you are still legally driving under the influence."