If you’re under 21 years of age and are accused of drinking and driving, it’s important that you take time to look into the defenses you could use in your case. One of the most common defenses, and one that may work for you, is the defense that you did not know that you were intoxicated when you got into your vehicle.

This defense can be helpful for those who believe that they were drugged while they were out to dinner or visiting a club, on a date or with friends. This can also be useful for those who had a drink at a party or event but who were incorrectly told that those drinks were alcohol-free.

Spiked drinks can lead to DUI charges

Although it’s unfair, drinking something that was spiked could lead to DUI charges. Spiked drinks are particularly common at parties, bars and events.

Sometimes, people know that drinks are spiked. For example, someone may make a bowl of punch at a Halloween party and let everyone know that they added vodka. That spiked punch bowl should be off-limits to anyone under 21 years of age.

But what if you're late to the party and nobody warned you that the punch was spiked with alcohol? You could easily end up intoxicated without meaning to be. Plus, since you're under the legal drinking age, almost any amount of alcohol in your system is automatically grounds for a drunk driving charge due to "zero tolerance" laws.

When you're facing charges, don't try to handle the situation on your own

A drunk driving conviction can damage your reputation, hurt your chances for a future career and even interfere with your education -- and that's on top of the legal penalties you may face. If you're facing drunk driving charges, find out more about what it takes to mount an effective defense.