By Anonymous - 15/10/2011 18:54 - United States

Today, I learned that when I got my driver's permit, I agreed to be the designated driver for my family. FML
I agree, your life sucks 27 355
You deserved it 4 239

Same thing different taste

Top comments

but it's still illegal for you too drive. the person in the front seat can't be intoxicated

Comments

On the positive side, drunks are usually pretty hilarious, & can provide some entertainment while practicing your driving skills.

wriptidez 0

its illegal for your parent/s to be teaching you to drive while they are tipsy or drunk! A permit means they are supposed to be teaching you. Refuse to drive when they are under the influence. If you guys get pulled over it wouldnt be so fun.

RainbowHeadache 2

If you're dropping them off then driving home you're not only driving home alone, which with a permit is illegal, you're also driving back to pick them up alone & driving home with drunks which is also very illegal for someone with just a permit. Don't be their bitch. You're risking your license if you do.

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Here's an interesting law-school hypothetical: if Alice has a learner permit, and is sober, but her father Bob, the legally-required licensed driver in the front seat with her, is drunk, who gets nailed for the resulting DUI if the car gets stopped? It'd be particularly bad if the sober minor got nailed for anything worse than "driving without a license", because DUI approaches being a felony-level crime these days. Get found guilty of DUI and it severely restricts things like what kinds of jobs you can have, some countries (e.g. Canada) won't let you in if you're traveling, etc. OTOH I'm not sure you could convict the drunk adult "instructor", unless the prosecution could make a case for "constructive control" of the vehicle. I wonder what the potential for success of that line of reasoning might be. After all, in a lot of states you can get convicted of DUI simply for being in or near the vehicle with keys in your possession, because that constitutes "constructive control". (E.g. if you're "sleeping it off" in the car in the parking lot of the bar you got drunk at, even if you arrived sober and the car hasn't moved since you started drinking that night.) I'd love to hear an actual lawyer chime in on this one. Is there recent case law on this? In any event, if I were OP, I'd be reluctant to put myself in a situation that could result in my possibly being arrested for DUI. I'd get competent legal advice on this. A conviction for DUI has substantial negative consequences that are lifelong.

In NJ, if the licensed driver supervising the permitted driver is under the influence of alcohol they can get a DUI, if the permitted driver gets pulled over. Just sayin.

rnaicchoelle7 0

Thats illegal! There is a law that states that the person you are driving with while you still have your learners permit is not allowed to be intoxicated or sleeping. (trust me, just took defensive driving)

Meaningless 1

Same thing happened to me too.