Heading out drinking with your friends might sound like a good way to spend an evening. Unfortunately, without proper planning, your fun evening can turn into a nightmare. This is the case if you end up trying to drive after you’ve had a few drinks and police officers notice that you are showing signs of being intoxicated while driving. This could be a very costly endeavor that you may not be prepared for.
One thing that you should know is that a drunk driving charge is going to cost you a lot more than what you would have spent grabbing a cab or ride-share home. One top of the monetary expense, you also have to think about collateral consequences due to a conviction.
The impact on your bank account
There are high costs associated with a drunk driving charge. One campaign in the past cited the cost of a drunk driving charges as $10,000. While you might balk at this figure, there is a lot involved. Even smaller costs can add up quickly when you are trying to cover them while having to pay regular life expenses.
Not only do you have to worry about fines, but there will be the cost of alcohol assessments or treatments, ignition interlocks, legal fees and more. You will likely have to pay to get your driver’s license reinstated after the suspension. You may also have increased insurance premiums.
Other impacts on your life
Another impact is that you won’t have easily accessible transportation since you will lose your license. You might also find that you have trouble finding a job because of the record. There is a chance that your financing for school might be impacted by a conviction for drunk driving.
These are known as collateral consequences. They are things that can happen by dint of your conviction. In many cases, collateral consequences will remain in effect for your entire life.
One of the best things that you can do is to work on your defense plan as soon as you find out that you are facing these charges.
