When you hear the phrase “a DUI will cost you a lot,” you may take the statement figuratively. It will “cost you on a personal level, as your friends and family may never look at you the same way again. It will “cost” you professionally, because you could lose your job or struggle to find a new one. It will “cost” you chronologically, as you may spend time in jail or suffer harsh penalties that make your life difficult for a long time.
But there is a very literal “cost” to having a DUI on your record, and today we want to talk about the financial aspect of a drunk driving charge and how it will affect you going forward.
Between the initial stop and a night in jail for your DUI, there will be extensive costs. You have to pay for your time in jail; you have to pay to be bailed out; you have to pay for having your car impounded; you have to pay for court dates and sentencing; and you have to pay to have your license reinstated. The fees and penalties under these circumstances alone can cost thousands of dollars.
Then you have the long-term financial costs. These are factors such as having to use alternate forms of transportation, installing and using ignition interlock, going to alcohol treatment and therapy, doing community service and paying for probation (yes, you pay for that). Again, this can cost thousands of dollars in total.
Last but not least, you can expect a substantial rise in your insurance rates and a difficult time finding a new place to live (if that is something you are looking for).
Source: BACtrack, “The High Cost of a DUI,” Accessed Oct. 27, 2016
