The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 23 : Motor Vehicles

Chapter 013 : Operation of Vehicles

Subchapter 013 : DRUNKEN DRIVING

• § 1216. Persons under 21 years of age; alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more

  (a) A person under 21 years of age who operates, attempts to operate, or is in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway when the person’s alcohol concentration is 0.02 or more commits a civil traffic violation subject to the jurisdiction of the Judicial Bureau and subject to the following sanctions:

  (1) For a first violation, the person’s license or privilege to operate shall be suspended for six months and until the person complies with subdivision 1209a(a)(1) of this title. However, during the suspension, an eligible person may operate under the terms of an ignition interlock RDL or ignition interlock certificate issued pursuant to section 1213 of this title. A person who elects to operate under an RDL or certificate shall not be eligible for reinstatement unless he or she operates under the RDL or certificate for six months, plus any extension of this period arising from a violation of section 1213 of this title.

  (2) For a second or subsequent violation, the person’s license or privilege to operate shall be suspended until the person reaches 21 years of age or for one year, whichever is longer, and complies with subdivisions 1209a(a)(2)(A), (B), and (D) of this title. However, during the suspension, an eligible person may operate under the terms of an ignition interlock RDL or ignition interlock certificate issued pursuant to section 1213 of this title. A person who elects to operate under an RDL or certificate shall not be eligible for reinstatement unless he or she operates under the RDL or certificate for one year or until the person reaches 21 years of age, whichever is longer, plus any extension of this period arising from a violation of section 1213 of this title.

  (b) [Repealed.]

  (c) A person who violates this section may also be subject to recall of his or her provisional license under section 607a of this title.

  (d) If a law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is violating this section, the officer may request the person to submit to a breath test using a preliminary screening device approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety. A refusal to submit to the breath test shall be considered a violation of this section. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in sections 1202 and 1203 of this title:

  (1) the results of the test shall be admissible evidence in a proceeding under this section; and

  (2) there shall be no statutory right to counsel prior to the administration of the test.

  (e) In a proceeding under this section, if there was at any time within two hours of operating, attempting to operate, or being in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person’s alcohol concentration was 0.02 or more at the time of operating, attempting to operate, or being in actual physical control.

  (f) No fine and no points shall be assessed for a violation of this section.

  (g) The Alcohol and Driving Program required under this section shall be administered by the Department of Health’s Division of Substance Use Programs and shall take into consideration any particular treatment needs of operators under 21 years of age.

  (h) A charge of violating this section shall not bar prosecution for any crime, including a prosecution under section 1201 of this title.

  (i) Suspensions imposed under this section or any comparable statute of any other jurisdiction shall run concurrently with suspensions imposed under sections 1205, 1206, and 1208 of this title or any comparable statutes of any other jurisdiction or with any suspension resulting from a conviction for a violation of section 1091 of this title from the same incident, and a person shall receive credit for any elapsed period of a suspension served in Vermont against a later suspension imposed in this State. (Added 1991, No. 55, § 17; amended 1997, No. 57, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; 1997, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 9, 27; 2009, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. July 1, 2011; 2011, No. 46, § 9, eff. July 2, 2011; 2011, No. 56, § 18, eff. March 1, 2012; 2011, No. 90 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2013, No. 57, § 20; 2015, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), § 52; 2021, No. 115 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. July 1, 2022.)