From the first day of your driver training, everyone repeats to you that you must never drive a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You certainly think at that point that you will never do such a stupid thing, but the reality is a little different after all. If it were not so, there would not have been over a million arrests for DUI last year alone. You have to know that as many as 30 percent of traffic-related deaths are the result of DUI.
If you are lucky enough, the police will stop you and arrest you before the accident happens. But don’t think you’re saved then. Yes, your life and health have been saved, as well as the lives and health of other people, which is the most important thing. But different consequences await you because of your careless behavior. Some of the most common consequences are fines, imprisonment, community service. According to anthonyricciolaw.com, you can reduce the fine especially if you hire DUI lawyers and they will also introduce you to the situation so that you can prepare both legally and financially. That is why it is difficult to calculate the real costs of a DUI because there are a lot of hidden costs, so in the end, the amount of money you lose due to DUI significantly exceeds what you originally expected. To know what awaits you, read what are all the hidden costs of DUI.
About DUI
As we have already said, over a million arrests occur annually as a result of driving under influence. That is a huge number and represents as much as 10 percent of all arrests. And what conditions do you need to meet in order to be arrested? Well, the most important thing is that the blood alcohol level, better known by the abbreviation BAC, is at least 0.1, which is the limit prescribed by law. However, the law also varies considerably. Somewhere the tolerance is only 0.08, and somewhere even lower than that. There is even zero tolerance, which is usually true for people who have just received a driver’s license. There is a possibility that you will be arrested even if your BAC is below 0.1, if you show clear signs of intoxication. Also, DUI is not only driving under the influence of alcohol but also illegal drugs, but also drugs that if you are taking you are not allowed to drive. And you should know, DUI is disastrous for you driving record and will have an impact on many things.
Hidden costs
1. Towing fees
Since you are under arrest, it is logical that you will not be able to drive your car. So the police will seize your vehicle and call a tow truck to move your vehicle to safe location. Of course, all the costs of the towing service will be charged to you, and this is one of the hidden costs that no one counts on. Also, you will have to pay for parking for all the days the vehicle spent there until it was returned to you. This can be a few days while you are in jail or even longer until the case is closed. It is not uncommon for costs to exceed the market value of a vehicle, so that many do not even return to pick up their vehicle. That is why it is very important that you have lawyers who are experts in DWI, so that the whole case is over as soon as possible, and that way your costs would not skyrocket. This website can answer all your questions about how a DWI lawyer can help you.
2. Insurance
Once you have DWI in your record, your insurance company will take it as a very negative factor and label you as a high risk client. This will lead to a significant increase in the rates you have to pay them. Don’t think that you can avoid it, because the courts automatically inform the insurance companies. The price of high risk insurance is higher than usual, and they will also probably ask you to pay a few years in advance, which will cost you several thousand dollars more than you have paid so far.
3. Lost earnings
Lost earning is another hidden expense that no one thinks about until they realize that they will spend a few days in prison. This automatically means that you will not be able to go to work for a few days and then lose your earnings for those days, because it is not a justified absence. Then you will lose earnings also due to going to court, evaluation, community service and many other things. It will usually cost you a couple of weeks of earnings, which is a few thousand dollars if you have an average annual salary.
4. Education and treatment
It is almost certain that the court will order you to attend some of the educational programs for the prevention of alcohol and drug consumption, as well as DWI seminars. It will only be part of your overall punishment, although it could be seen as an investment in your future rather than a punishment. These can be online or live programs, and you will have to pay for participation in these programs, which usually costs up to a thousand dollars. Plus you may have to lose part of your earnings if the classes are during business hours, although this is not often the case.
5. Fees for revoked license
Your license will be revoked or suspended for a time to be determined by the court. The cost of a reinstatement license is very high, especially if it is revoked. Then you will have to go through driving training again, if you will be allowed to drive a motor vehicle at all. Also, these are not the only costs you will incur due to a revoked license. If you are not granted a hardship license, then you will need to use a taxi or some other form of transportation to get to work and other places. And that’s significantly more expensive than the cost you have when driving your car.
Conclusion
As you can see, the hidden costs are at least 10 thousand dollars. That is the amount you will lose if you are lucky. It is very likely that it will be more, even up to 50 thousand dollars. So be smart and when you consume alcohol “forget” the car keys at home.
