The use of alcohol, drugs, and other hard substances while driving is one of the common reasons for traffic arrests in America. The statistics from the Centers for Disease Control report that in 2010 about 1.4 million people residing in the United States were arrested for DUI. While many believe a DUI charge solely affects the offender, in reality, the catastrophic aftermath of DUIs ripples throughout a person’s social, emotional, financial, and mental aspects of life, thus affecting those close to them, especially family. If you have a DUI charge or are simply curious about the implications of having one, read on to learn how a DUI affects your family.
Financial Implications
Financially, a DUI charge can substantially impact the family finances. While every DUI differs depending on the case, several factors can increase the costs of your DUI charge. Asides from the mandated fees such as legal fees, bail fees, court fines, and costs, probation feeds a DUI offender has to pay after arrest, there are also other long-term financial consequences to bear. Potential associated costs may include license reinstatement fees, traffic school, and, in most cases, your car insurance premium can increase up to 74% after a single DUI. All of these can place immense strain on your family’s ability to pay for other important occasions, future expenses, or even have enough left in the savings.
Loss of License
Regardless of your state, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked after a single DUI conviction. However, the period this suspension lasts varies from state to state. Automatic driver’s license suspension ranges from 3 months to 2 years for a first-time DUI offender. In contrast, the suspension period for a second-time offender is usually between 1 year to 5 years, and permanent revocation for three and more offenses. How does the loss of your license affect your family? When you lose your license, your parents or other family members may have to step up to help transport you to work or DUI education classes which may disrupt their work schedule, lessen their free time, increase their gasoline budget, and further strain the family budget.
Possibility of Losing Employment
Many employers have a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding workers with a DUI conviction. If you work as a professional or delivery driver, a first-time DUI charge can automatically cause you to lose your job. Likewise, individuals with professional licenses, like teachers, medical doctors, pilots, attorneys, etc., may face strong penalties if they get a DUI charge. Some professional licenses may be automatically suspended, while others may be suspended pending trial. While a first DUI offender may get reinstated after facing disciplinary penalties, numerous offenses can result in permanent license suspension.
If this happens, losing your job can create considerable problems for your family, especially if you’re the primary wage earner. Loss of income can make it challenging to cover basic costs like clothing, insurance, groceries, mortgage, childcare, etc. Moreso, the future employment prospects for a DUI offender are slim as it creates a criminal record that most employers don’t overlook.
Why Choose Jackson Bibby Awareness Group?
If you or your loved one has been charged with drugged or drunk driving, Jackson Bibby Awareness Group provides mentoring, counseling, and classes for DUI offenders in San Bernardino. Our focus is to make known the detrimental effects of drinking and drinking on the quality of your life and those around you. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information if you have any inquiries about our services.
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