Soon, teenagers convicted in Virginia of driving after consuming virtually any amount of alcohol will lose their driver’s licenses for a year and be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Currently in Virginia, persons under 21 convicted of driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .02 [but less than .08 BAC when all drivers are presumed to be driving while intoxicated] are penalized with only a six-month driver’s license suspension and a “fine of not more than $ 500.”

But effective July 1st, a new law doubles the driver’s license suspension period (to one year), and elevates such conduct to a Class 1 misdemeanor.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a 120-pound male or female would reach a BAC of .02 after consuming just one drink in one hour. Therefore, under the new law, it may only take a drop of alchohol for a young person to lose his or her license.