How a DUI can affect your life for a long time
By Aaron Crowe
For the working professionals who are first-time drunken drivers who enter Nicole Denmon’s law office in Tampa, Fla., for help, the legal world they’re about to enter can be quite confusing.
Along with the court system and thousands of dollars a DUI will cost them, Denmon explains some of the other ways they may be affected if they’re convicted. They include possible jail time, increased difficulty finding a job, and a permanent mark on their driving record.
“They are shocked to learn that even on a first-time DUI, you can end up in a county jail, depending on your circumstances,” Denmon says.
There are other implications for a DUI conviction, including not being able to vote, losing a job if you drive or fly for a living, higher insurance rates, and everyone learning about it online. Those are all after the $10,000 that a group of attorneys in California estimates a DUI costs in attorney and court fees, including bail and fines.
The penalties vary by state, and get more severe if the DUI is a felony. Getting a third DUI is a felony in most states, and causing serious injury or killing someone while driving drunk can be a felony for a first offense.
Beyond the expensive court fines and fees that come with DUI convictions, here are some of the other ways a DUI conviction can affect a driver:
Paying to stay out of jail
If you’re arrested and have to spend at least a night in jail, you can pay bail of $150 to $2,500, depending on if a bonding company is used. The state of Georgia, for example, has a mandatory 24-hour jail term for people arrested for DUI, so you may not be able to get out of jail for a day anyway.
You could also face other charges if you want to remain free. California courts, for example, may require electronic monitoring that costs $12 to $18 a day in lieu of jail, says Christopher McCann, a criminal defense attorney in California.
Drivers may also be required to have an ignition interlock device on their cars to prevent them from driving after drinking alcohol. The devices cost about $75 a month and installation is about $100. A judge may also require an offender to be in an alcohol treatment program if they want to avoid jail time, with such programs ranging from $500 for first-time offenders to $1,200 for multiple offenders McCann says.
Everyone knows you’re a convict
Thanks to social media, your arrest can be spread across the Internet. People who search for your name can find your arrest photo online, and quickly learn more about your arrest, Denmon says. You may not even be convicted in court, but your arrest photo will be online, putting off potential employers who Google your name.
There’s much more to this story. To read the entire story, go to CheapCarInsurance.net, a client of Aaron Crowe, personal finance freelance writer.