Getting a DUI is obviously a terrible moment in any person’s life, and all of the potential consequences that follow will be punitive in their own way. Still, there are certain consequences that are more punitive than others, and today we want to focus on the financial aspect of drunk driving charges and how they will impact you going forward.
You probably imagine that someone who is arrested for DUI is in a jail cell. Jail time is certainly possible, but before they get there, their car must be towed and impounded. That alone will cost hundreds of dollars.
Then there are the many different judicial processes you will have to go through as someone accused of driving under the influence of alcohol. Sentencing, court dates, bail, probation, alcohol treatment and testing, and many other aspects will cost thousands of dollars total. And we haven’t even mention the fines and penalties associated with the DUI charge itself.
Last but not least, there are the potentially life-long financial consequences that you will pay with your insurance rates. Car insurance companies will send your premiums skyrocketing after you get a DUI, and that could last for many years, if not decades. The money you lose as a result of this could be the most impactful financial hit you take.
All of this is to say: get an attorney when you are accused of a drunk driving offense. Too much is at stake.
Source: BACtrack, “The High Cost of a DUI,” Accessed Oct. 13, 2017
