If your teenager has been arrested for DWI, you want to make sure that they don't become a repeat offender. According to statistics, 17% of all drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 who were involved in fatal car accidents had a blood alcohol count – BAC- of 0.08% or higher. To help keep your child from becoming a statistic, here are three steps you can take to teach them about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Get Them Involved in a Support Group

Now that your child has been charged with a DWI, you need to help them understand the dangers involved in the practice. One way is to enroll them in a support group. Support groups will allow your teenager to come face-to-face with survivors of drunk driving accidents. To make sure that the group has a significant impact on your teen, be sure to find a group that has members who have lost loved ones in drunk driving accidents or members who have had their own lives changed by being a drunk driver.

Monitor Their Alcohol Consumption

If your teenager has had a previous run-in with drinking and driving, it might be time to have an alcohol monitoring ignition lock installed on the car that they drive. The benefit of the ignition lock is that your child will have to breathe into the machine before the car will start. If your teenager has been drinking, the car will not start. With the ignition lock in place, your teen will not be able to operate their car if they've been drinking.

Get Involved

If your child has been arrested for drinking and driving, it's important that you get involved. You can prevent tragedies by taking an active role in preventing a repeat of the behavior. Sit down with your teen and create a driving agreement. The agreement should include rules that your teen will be required to follow, as well as consequences for breaking the rules. Open communication is critical if you're going to prevent your teen from drinking and driving again. If you suspect that your teen is going to continue drinking, be sure to include an agreement that they'll contact you if they're ever unable to safely drive themselves home again.

If your teenager has been caught drinking and driving, they're endangering their lives and the lives of others. Use the tips described above to help teach your teen about the dangers of drinking and driving. Also, consider hiring an attorney from a firm like The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel to help your child get a reduced sentence for their DUI.