Guest Opinion: Florida’s DUI Laws Have Teeth — But College Communities Need Strong Prevention Strategies

There is no denying that college is where academic life meets a social world filled with celebrations, athletic events, parties, and night outs. And when alcohol becomes part of those occasions, the question of how everyone gets home safely cannot be treated as an afterthought.

Simply put, it should not be a concern whether the end of a celebration should mean a secure ride to their respective residences—not a trip to the emergency room. Yet for countless students across Florida, after-hours gatherings, game days, and other campus activities can create moments when one poor decision behind the wheel carries consequences far beyond the driver.

What’s disconcerting is that this danger is not new in the Sunshine State.

In 2025 alone, authorities have already reported roughly 4,750 DUI-linked crashes, which led to the demise of about 300 individuals and harmed nearly 2,800 others. Strikingly, such incidents are prevalent in urban and suburban regions—including in Volusia County, where 127 accidents cost 14 lives and injured 77 more individuals.

Essentially, these figures should prompt more than another warning about the risk of drinking and driving—they should force a harder look at whether the government is doing enough to prevent another impaired person from hitting the road in the very beginning.

Because while the state has built serious punishments for those who commit related offenses, the stronger public safety strategy is one that reaches drivers before a crash occurs.

A DUI in Florida Can Cost More Than a Driver’s License

Admittedly, Florida takes impaired driving very seriously, emphasizing that it is not a mere minor traffic violation. In fact, the state's legislation makes it apparent: a driver can be convicted of DUI not only if their normal faculties are affected by alcohol but also when their blood or breath-alcohol concentration (BAC) hits 0.08% or higher.

For those under 21—a threshold especially relevant on college campuses—the law goes further, with the zero-tolerance standard establishing a strict limit of below 0.02%. That simply means a student does not need to reach the adults’ benchmark to face drastic punishments. And from there, the consequences can escalate quickly.

As stipulated, a first DUI conviction can bring a $500 to $1,000 fine, up to six months of jail time, probation, vehicle impoundment, and license revocation for those declining to submit to necessary programs.

Penalties can likewise become substantially harsher when a driver has prior offenses, logs a BAC of 0.15% or higher, was accompanied by a minor, or inflicts severe injury or death.

Meanwhile, Florida correspondingly requires ignition interlock devices in specified cases—including certain repeat violations—to deter previous offenders from another alcohol-impaired drive. Yet while the state’s existing DUI framework is already remarkable, policymakers have continued strengthening it in an effort to close remaining gaps and hold dangerous drivers more accountable.

For Stetson University students, however, this recent change is also deeply connected to their own community. That is because the new policy called Trenton’s Law was named in honor of Trenton Stewart, a promising first-year cybersecurity enrollee and a football player at the institution, who perished in a 2023 crash.

Enacted in 2025, the legislation made even a first-time refusal of a lawful breath or urine test after an arrest a first- or second-degree misdemeanor. At the same time, it bolsters retribution for offenses involving repeat manslaughter and vehicular homicide, from second-degree felonies carrying up to 15 years of sentence to first-degree felonies punishable by as long as 30 years.

In effect, these provisions reinforce Florida’s decisiveness to impose increasingly stringent repercussions—and attempts to evade accountability for it—jeopardize lives.

Why DUI Risks Hit College Communities Differently

The devastating outcome of impaired driving can follow college students well beyond a single night, hence making the issue particularly dire for young adults still building their academic and professional futures.

Consistent with this, national research has found that around 16% to 30% of this population admitted to driving after drinking, while those aged 21 to 24 accounted for approximately 23% of DUI-related arrests in 2022. And that problem becomes more tangible for enrollees at Stetson University, where campus life extends into the surrounding community.

As is known, the institution sits within a wider Central Florida playground that can take students from DeLand’s vibrant restaurants and live-music venues to the beaches of Daytona and New Smyrna, with Orlando’s entertainment and destinations likewise within reach.

Such accessibility is part of what makes the college experience jovial, but many of these social settings are also prime sites where alcohol can be readily available.

Consequently, this reality leads students to face an important decision after a night out: determining if they are still fit to drive home safely after drinking.

A DUI can therefore cost a student far more than a night of freedom, as this can potentially bring fines, license suspensions, and other punishments—grave implications that Stetson University has made clear to its students.

For aspiring lawyers, the College of Law has even cautioned that although this record does not automatically restrict someone from being admitted to law school, a pattern of criminal conduct or poor judgment can create difficulties with admission or eventual eligibility for the bar.

Ultimately, for students with years of education and opportunity still ahead of them, one impaired drive can instantly place both their life and future in limbo.

Preventing the Next DUI Crash: What Florida Needs Beyond Tougher Penalties

Florida has already demonstrated its determination to combat impaired driving through stringent penalties once a case escalates to a criminal level. However, even the toughest fines, license suspension, or even imprisonment are reactive measures that arrive too late if a student or any motorist has already caused a tragic accident.

The real challenge—especially within college communities—is to instill a culture of responsibility that emphasizes wise decision-making before anyone steps into a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. And Stetson University itself has long been part of that broader conversation.

The truth is, over a decade ago, the institution published a collaborative research study that examined not only the deaths and injuries associated with drinking and driving but also whether a DUI arrest could disrupt a student’s ability to remain in college.

The Stetson Law Review later confronted another critical concern: whether Florida should replace its patchwork of locally created diversion programs with a uniform approach. These discussions matter because they signify that DUI has never been only about what happens in a courtroom—universities have also reason to consider what transpires before, during, and after an impaired-driving offense. With this, the university has strived to raise awareness about alcohol use and its consequential risks.

Through its wellness initiatives—such as the Brief Alcohol Screening and Interventions for College Students (BASICS)—students better understand their drinking patterns, take into account their negative implications, and become more inclined to make more informed choices. Those steps have indeed laid an important foundation for reducing alcohol-related harm.

Yet still, an institution’s influence has limits—particularly once students leave the campus and enter public roads.

That said, Florida should reinforce such efforts with stronger public education campaigns around colleges and other high-risk areas, while establishing dependable late-night transportation and strategically deploying sobriety checkpoints during peak periods.

The state should likewise consider expanding ignition interlock requirements—not only to those with repeat and aggravated offenses for which they are currently mandated. This is especially relevant as prevention becomes far more credible when students are not merely told to make a safe choice but are given practical means—and compelling reasons—to make one.

Now is the time to ponder that a university prepares students for decisions that will shape their brighter tomorrow. And keeping a dangerous action from disrupting that future deserves the same seriousness.

Florida has already exhibited its excellent response after a DUI occurs; its next challenge must be to help Stetson University and other college communities across the state to make sure nobody ever reaches that point.

About the Author

Sean M. Cleary is the CEO of The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary P.A., a Miami, Florida-based legal firm that specializes in a range of personal injury cases, including DUI-related car accidents.