A DUI offense occurs when an offender is found to be operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over a certain limit. However, you have to be aware that just one alcoholic beverage can compromise your critical thinking ability and fine motor skills, even if your BAC is still within the acceptable limit. Ultimately, it’s about your ability to drive safely after having consumed any number of alcoholic beverages.
One Drink Often Means One More Drink
You may decide to have just one drink, but that one drink often leads to “just one more”. Many individuals can overestimate their ability to drive safely with alcohol in their systems, especially if they are feeling down. The majority of DUI offenses are not a one-off, uncharacteristic episode on the part of the offender. Often, offenders have a long and complicated history with alcohol which is not as simple as regulating themselves to one drink per night.
How One Alcoholic Beverage Can Affect You
Alcohol starts to take effect in your body from the very first sip, impairing your coordination, decision making and critical thinking skills as well as fine motor skills. A manoeuvre you can make quickly and almost instinctively while sober can be hard to perform while under the influence. Not only are you putting yourself in danger, you are endangering the lives of others on the road. Every year, fatalities due to DUI offences cause families great grief.
Consequences of DUI Offenses
A DUI offense not only comes with legal repercussions for you, but can cause serious injuries or even death to yourself or a victim. Below are some consequences of DUI offenses:
- Mandatory DUI education classes
- A mark on your record
- Possible demerit points against your license
- License suspension
- Diminished employment prospects
- Strain on personal relationships
- Lawsuits if you have been involved in a motor accident
- Increase in auto insurance premiums
- Serious injuries
- Feelings of guilt
- Poor mental health
- Imprisonment
- … and more!
However, it is important to look beyond the consequences of a DUI offense and acknowledge that you need help when you do. Breaking out of the cycle of substance reliance and starting on the path to recovery is your best and surest way to avoid repeating a DUI offense.
Participate in DUI Treatment from A Safe Distance
At Jackson-Bibby Awareness Group, we understand the impact that a DUI offense can have on individuals, whether first offenders or repeat offenders. We want to help you on the path to recovery and to this end, we are offering telehealth sessions for a limited time during the ongoing pandemic. You are expected to attend and participate actively in individual and group counselling sessions via Zoom. However, keep in mind that DUI education classes will be resumed in person as soon as it’s possible to. If there is anything you are unsure of in the meantime, please feel free to take a look through our FAQs.
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