Many people view a DUI charge as something that won’t have too many consequences. They believe they can just plead guilty, pay a fine and then get on with their lives pretty much as before.
That is not how it works – at least not for those who are convicted of the charge or plead guilty to it. Here are three ways it could significantly affect a person’s life.
1. Vehicle insurance premiums will rise
Insurers consider someone who has been convicted of drunk driving to be a bigger risk to them. That means they will raise their insurance premiums and keep them high for several years until they consider the risk is lessened. One report found the average rise in Indiana is 75%. A further DUI would likely cause them to raise the premium further. Some insurers won’t even continue to cover a driver with a DUI on their record.
2. Getting work may become difficult
A criminal record can sometimes cause a person to lose your current employment — and make it harder to secure new employment. Employers and the software they use to filter job applications sometimes reject those with criminal records, even when the job does not involve any driving. For those whose driver’s license is suspended or revoked, not being able to drive can also narrow the geographic area in which they can work.
3. The whole family may find it harder to get around
A license suspension can have a big effect on the entire family – especially if children or elderly parents rely on the driver to get around and there is no other licensed driver in the immediate family.
If you made a mistake and now face a DUI charge, it’s important not to make the mistake of assuming a conviction is a given. There are often ways to challenge a DUI charge, so getting experienced legal guidance as soon as possible is a wise move.