Just being charged with a DUI has its own courtroom issues. Being convicted of a DUI can carry other consequences outside of the courtroom. These are just some of the possible ramifications.
Your License
Aside from fines and jail time, for a conviction on a first DUI offense, your driver’s license can be suspended for up to six months. You may be required to have a certified ignition interlock device installed on all vehicles owned and operated by you for up to three years from the date of your conviction. The impact of a DUI arrest might be lessened if you immediately retain an attorney to represent you. By reading a DUI or DWI vehicle code of a region, you’ll understand how a skilled and experienced attorney, like Kraut Law Group, might help you if you are ever charged with a DUI or DWI.
Your Insurance
Be ready for your insurance premiums to skyrocket. Every insurance company has its own quote guidelines for drivers with a DUI or DWI on their record. Be assured that your insurance rates are going to go up significantly. Many companies will designate you a high risk and charge accordingly. Other companies will drop you completely. Then there are the companies that focus on drivers with a DUI history. Expect their rates to be at least double of what you paid before a DUI.
Employment
Most large employers now require pre-employment criminal background checks, particularly if any type of a security clearance is required. A DUI conviction might not be acceptable for many employers. Other companies even periodically do background checks on their employees during the course of their employment. A conviction can result in termination. If driving is a condition of one’s employment, a DUI conviction can be devastating.
Rentals
Most reputable management companies run both credit and criminal checks on prospective renters. That DUI conviction can keep you from getting the place that you want that’s so close to work. It can also impact your ability to rent a vehicle.
Social
Along with all of these ripple effects, there are also social stigmas involved with DUIs, particularly if your case was publicized. That can affect your entire family, especially your children.
If you’re pulled over and suspected of a DUI, you have every right to refuse to perform field sobriety and breath testing. Feel free to exercise those rights and retain an attorney right away if you find yourself in that situation. DUI charges are fragile situations that should be dealt with carefully.