The Consequences of Getting a DUI

One of the most common offenses in the US is a DUI charge – Driving under the Influence, or Drunk Driving. Interestingly enough, there are a lot of drivers who are conscientious and focused on safety, and they too end up getting a DUI charge.

Getting arrested for drunk driving doesn’t seem too serious. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. You would be surprised to learn that there are long-term consequences of getting a DUI. Here are some things that could haunt you for the rest of your life – or at least for many, many years:

Revocation of Your Driver’s License

A first-time conviction can lead to your driver’s license being revoked for as many as two years. Further convictions can lead to a permanent revocation of your license. If you have a job that is dependent on you driving, you could lose your job.

Even simple errands would be a huge chore without the freedom of your own car. If you are dependent on public transport, you could lead to an increasing sense of frustration, helplessness, and stress. This situation, in turn, could impact the quality of your work.

Background Checks

When you apply for a new job, you may have to go through a background check. A DUI conviction will show up during the check, which could mean that your chance of landing that job drops significantly. Even college financial aid and housing applications require a background check.

Many scholarship programs will issue scholarships only to those with an untarnished record. A DUI conviction could sully that record and kill your chances of ever getting that scholarship you need. This means that you could end up losing your chance to go to college or even find a place to live.

Loss of Employment

If you get convicted for drunk driving, it could hurt your current job. If you have been jailed, or have been forced to do community service or attend court dates, it can wreak havoc on your work schedule. A DUI could also hurt your chances of growing in the company since drunk driving is viewed as irresponsible behavior – something a company would not like its leaders to display. It could even lead to you getting fired.

If you end up being in this unfortunate situation, you need immediate help of legal professionals like a DUI attorney.

Insurance Rates for Vehicles

Once you have a DUI conviction, you will be paying significantly higher auto insurance premiums than others. Insurance companies consider those convicted for drunk driving high-risk drivers and charge them rates that are twice and even three times the norm. And this high charge can last many years.

There are even some insurance companies that could cancel your insurance altogether.

Professional and Personal Relationships

A DUI conviction hurts your reputation the most. Coworkers and your bosses end up having a negative perception of you. You could be seen as a liability to the company, which could, once again, lead you to you losing your job.

This conviction also hurts your relationships. Among friends and family, you may experience feelings of embarrassment and shame, especially when they show elevated levels of concern for you.

Your drinking habits will become a source of concern for them, where they could believe that you have a drinking problem that needs to be handled. This could lead to fights and conflict between you and them, and could even lead to severing valuable relationships.

Getting a DUI charge can derail your life. So, the best thing you can do is avoid drinking to the point where your blood alcohol levels are within legal limits. Or, if you plan to drink that much, a better idea would be to have alternate means of transportation, where you are no longer at risk.