The legal Blood Alcohol Content for an adult is .08 – for a person under the age of 21 it is .02.

But, as City of Sammamish Chief of Police Nate Elledge points out, the consequences for drunk driving are the same at any age.

“Last year we only cited 3 juveniles for driving with alcohol in their system, which is .02,” Elledge said. “Out of 19 drunk driving arrests, only 1 was charged with a misdemeanor citation.”

A misdemeanor citation means the teen is released to their parents rather than taken to a juvenile detention center.

Deputy Steve Johnson of the King County Sheriff’s office is the city of Sammamish’s DUI enforcement officer.

“Under 21 DUIs are treated the exact same as over 21. There are court fees, suspended licenses and possible jail time,” Johnson said. “There is a zero-tolerance policy for under 21. The legal blood alcohol limit for under 21 is .02, if you have alcohol on your breath you’re going to get stopped.”

Johnson does not only stop erratic drivers but also helps prevent them by talking at schools about safe driving and the consequences of their choices.

Showing teens the results of their choices is why Eastside Fire & Rescue (EFR) created their “Think Again” and “Choices” programs – an unconventional

and sometimes dramatic effort to get young people to understand an important message that can often be lost through a straight lecture.

The Choices drill is a mock car crash that is set up on campus.

Teachers, students, members of the PTSA work with EFR and the local Police to present a realistic scenario where two cars full of students have

crashed.

“It’s a full scenario simulation, students play act texting while driving, that’s a big problem, and drunk driving. We dress the students up with fake blood and injuries and there’s a narrator to walk through it,” Williams said. “Police come out and show arrests, aid crew, and an engine. Less than what we would actually send out for a crash that size. It’s a simulation to show what kind of impact it’ll have on their parents, friends and the community.”

After the simulation the students are taken into the auditorium to discuss what they saw.

“We have a couple of students die in the simulations and afterwards we ask them what it was like to be the under the sheet and listening to everyone screaming for help,” Williams said. “It can be very compelling. We have a question and answer time to share stories, we work hard to make sure there is no judgment. Students can talk about things and no one will judge them.”

EFR will be holding the Choices drill at three high schools this year, Issaquah, Eastside Catholic, and Liberty high schools.

EFR Public Information Officer Josie Williams enjoys bringing the programs to the local high schools.

Think Again is a 55 minute program in the classroom that educates teens on what could happen if they choose to act unsafely. They bring in Firefighters to discuss the fines, and the impact their choices could have on the community.

Williams said she had seen the impact of the programs on the community.

“From 98 to 2006 we tracked the number of 15 to 19 year olds [involved in alcohol related accidents]. It’s decreased 8 percent since we started.”

Emily Carl, Issaquah High School’s Activity Director, has helped to organize the programs at Issaquah High School.

“We get some of the seniors involved and we try have every social group represented,” she said. “We try to do this right before prom. One, because it’s sunnier, and, two, because Prom’s a big night and we want to make sure everyone is driving safe. Really it would be good before any major social event, and it’s not a stretch to say Prom is really the social event of the year.”

Johnson said he sees more teens driving under the influence around breaks from school, and after parties.

“It’s really hard for a teen with school and peer pressure, but my biggest advice is just wait till you’re 21. Why would you gamble getting caught and have years of fees, a suspended license, possible jail time and god forbid you get in a crash and you or your friends die,” Johnson said. “The amount of risk a teen undertakes with drinking is just not worth it.”