Drinking under the influence can lead to severe repercussions in a person’s life. A significant effect is putting a strain on an individual’s financial position. Highlighted below are the eight economic consequences of a DUI.
Cost
A DUI conviction causes an outrageous cost estimated to be about $9,000 for the first DUI. The cost entails court fees and other expenses related to drunk driving. It may also result in a suspended license, thus limiting movement. Therefore, one is forced to commute to work or use public transport, which makes traveling difficult. Insurance cost for a DUI conviction becomes exceptionally high since the person can pay up to double or triple the average insurance rate.
Danger
Impaired driving can lead to physical injuries and causes death due to the occurrence of accidents. In 2018, young adults aged between 18 and 34 were charged with DUI. Charges are imposed on a person who hurts or kills people due to irresponsible driving. In addition, a person may become physically disabled, which implies that more money will be spent on their treatment.
Credibility
Family, friends, or even business people find it hard to count on someone caught drinking and driving. It becomes hard to secure employment when one is charged with a DUI. In several states, especially California, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% is the legal limit while driving. In most cases, when applying for a job, a person needs to be honest and report any criminal conviction. It limits employment options, thus settling for lower-paying jobs. Lack of credibility pushes away business people who may hinder a person from achieving their goals.
Time
Much time is dedicated to attending a DUI case in court, which implies that a person frequently takes off from work. A person’s finances may be docked due to less time spent at work. In extreme cases, a person may lose their only source of income since they cannot work for the exact required hours.
Stress
Having to pay large sums of money, attend DUI cases, and explain to people the reason why a person is in such a situation causes a lot of stress. It is even worse when people realize they cannot secure a job opportunity due to poor records.
Impact On Child Custody
In most cases, the full custody of a child is taken by the non-DUI spouse, since they are assumed to be more responsible. It implies that the spouse charged with DUI has no say in the treatment or school of the child. It becomes harder to see the child when the driving privileges have been taken away, limiting the time an individual spends with the child. Reports indicate that spouses get divorced due to various factors, with couples married between the ages of 20 to 25 having a 60% likelihood of getting divorced.
Family Stress
Both spouses can suffer from stress when there is a drinking problem that exists, and at the same time, the divorce process is taking place-the latter ruins a person’s social interaction with children, other family members, and even friends. The spouse may also suffer from financial stress, since hiring lawyers in both cases is typically expensive. Financial strain may worsen when finances are split between the two partners, and a DUI case can drain a person’s share. A person may end up losing their source of income due to being jailed.
Increase The Complexity Of A Divorce Case
A divorce proceeding is complicated, and DUI convictions make everything more difficult. Apart from financial strains, one must deal with commitments such as attending court proceedings. It becomes practically impossible to deal with such obligations when a person is jailed for DUI convictions. Being jailed could have adverse effects on the divorce process.
From the consequences above, drinking and driving can make people lose financially and suffer socially, and physically. A person can prevent this by evading impaired driving or simply hiring a ride service when they have had a lot to drink.