Missouri law enforcement wants to make sure local youths are celebrating proms and graduation parties responsibly and are enforcing laws on underage drunken driving between May 2-13.
During this period, statewide law enforcement agencies will be setting up sobriety checkpoints and will be on saturation patrols for underage drinking.
Missouri has a Zero Tolerance Law in which people younger than 21 who are caught driving with even a trace of alcohol in their systems are subject to jail time, loss of driver's licenses or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Other financial hits include higher insurance rates, attorney fees and court costs.
Youths make up a significant proportion of drunken drivers who cause traffic crashes on Missouri roadways. From 2010-12, there were 65 fatal crashes and 236 disabling injury crashes.