Mental Health

6 Things That Happen to You If You Get a DUI

By Hannah Smith | Update Date: Jul 22, 2019 12:39 PM EDT

No one wants to get a DUI. It's an arrest that can have long-reaching consequences. If your job requires you to drive and you have your license suspended, you can lose your job. You'll have to pay fines, suffer from penalties and your insurance premiums will skyrocket.

There's no benefit to drinking and driving.

In fact, you'll lose a lot when you get a DUI. A few of your losses will be:

1. Arrested and Booked

A DUI will lead to your immediate arrest and booking. This entails you being taken to the police station, having your fingerprints and mugshot taken, and you may or may not be allowed to leave immediately.

Some states will require that you sober up before being released, but other states will allow you to be released if someone comes, pays your bail, and then drives you home.

2. Loss of License

Every state in the United States has laws that result in a loss of driving privileges for a first-time DUI conviction. You will lose your license, and this may have an impact on your job. If you're in the transportation industry, you can almost be certain that you'll lose your job and will have a much harder time finding employment in the future.

3. Go to Court

If you've never been to court before, you will be going now. The ticket or summons that you receive will have a date to tell you when you have to appear in court. Courts are prepared for you to come into the courtroom, and if you deny the charges, you can expect everyone in the court to see a video of you failing your sobriety test.

4. Alcohol and Education Programs

Most, but not all, jurisdictions will require you to have to go to drunk driving school. You'll learn a lot about drunk driving and why you should not drink and drive. You'll learn why sobriety checkpoints are so important and how they reduce alcohol-related crashes by about 10%

You'll also learn prevention methods and also how to assess your own drinking habits.

You'll have to pay the fees for these classes, too.

5. Auto Insurance Premiums Will Rise

You can expect your auto insurance premiums to rise. You'll have to obtain a special insurance policy, and you can expect rates to increase between 38% and 125% depending on the insurance company.

The average insurance increase is 80%, with the average insurance with a DUI being $2,610.

6. Ignition Interlock Device

Many states are making it mandatory that anyone who's been convicted of a DUI installs what is known as an ignition interlock device. These devices will be installed on the person's vehicle and act as a breath analyzed.

If the person has alcohol on their breath, the vehicle will not be able to start.

Installation and monthly fees for the device will be the responsibility of the vehicle's owner. You'll have to pay for this expense out-of-pocket as well as fines and penalties that have been assessed as a result of your DUI.

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* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of counselheal.com

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