If you get a DUI, you may start thinking about the potential fines immediately. All of a sudden, choosing to drive home so that you didn’t have to pay for a cab cost you up to $400. You’re also probably concerned about increased insurance premiums, which could cost you for years to come. All of this is important, but you also need to consider that getting convicted of a DUI goes well beyond your bank account. Even if you think that a full $400 fine would be easily affordable, you want to consider all of the other ramifications of being convicted.
Losing your license
First of all, you’re going to lose your driver's license. You may get it back later with an ignition interlock system, but you still have to forfeit it – at minimum – until that system has been installed. And that’s just for a first offense. If you get a second offense, you could lose your license for 1 to 2 years. This is when the real problems in your daily life start to ramp up. How do you take the children to soccer practice? Who picks them up from school? How do you get to work? For most people, losing a driver’s license means that they simply can’t live the life that they want to live. Some people even end up losing their job because they have no means of transportation. Others have to begin paying for all of this transportation, making it incredibly costly. Whether you’re losing wages or paying more to get around while you’re not allowed to drive, those costs are going to mount incredibly quickly. But again, it’s not just about the money. If you can no longer pick your kids up from school, friends and family members are going to have questions about why not. If you have an ignition interlock device in your car, everyone’s going to know exactly what happened. This can be a significant detriment to your reputation and may harm some of your personal relationships.
Fighting for the best possible outcome
As you can see, if you’re facing DUI charges, it’s very important to know how to fight for the best possible outcome. You don’t want this to dramatically change your life. Make sure you know what legal steps to take.
