Rules set to change on DUI responsibility

Parents who supply alcohol to their children or their children's friends are now opening themselves to a whole lot of trouble.

A new state law that takes effect Monday makes persons liable for damages if they supply booze to an underage drinker who gets into a car accident.

"Some of these adults believe they are putting those kids (underage drinkers) in a safe environment. But in reality what they're offering is a false sense of security," said Sandy Heverly, executive director of Stop DUI, an advocacy group that speaks out against drunken driving.

Known as the "social host" bill, Senate Bill 7 opens parents or guardians to civil litigation if they knowingly supply alcohol to a teen who then gets into a vehicle accident. Existing law provides immunity to people from civil liability if they serve alcohol to someone and the drinker gets into an accident.

The new law isn't limited to parents. A teen throwing a party at his parent's house also may be held liable if a fellow party-goer gets into an accident, said John Johansen, highway safety representative for the Department of Public Safety.

Johansen said an estimated 30 percent of teens get alcohol from parents or guardians.

There have been several high-profile crashes in recent years involving drunken teens, including that of Ronald Jayne Jr., who was 19 years old when he crashed into an SUV at Farm Road and Tenaya Way, leaving five people dead. Jayne's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit. Authorities have said they've been unable to find out who supplied Jayne with the alcohol.

In 2003, then-16-year-old Sean Larimer was driving drunk when he hit a brick wall, killing three teens traveling in the vehicle. He later pleaded guilty to reckless and drunken driving and served a two-year sentence at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.

A district court judge ruled that Larimer's father could be held liable in a wrongful death suit under a state statute that allows parents to be sued for the misconduct of their children, according to news reports.

Another DUI-related law also takes effect on Monday. The Legislature passed the "12 Hour Hold" law, which keeps persons arrested for drunken driving behind bars until their blood alcohol level drops to less than 0.04 percent. The legal limit to drive is 0.08 percent.

If someone is booked on a DUI charge for a substance other than alcohol, authorities will keep the person in jail for at least 12 hours. "I don't want somebody offending twice within a handful of hours. I don't want someone re-offending at all," said Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, the bill's sponsor.