DWI Fines And The Penalties For Driving Drunk
A DWI arrest is horrendously costly in more than financial terms. It is something that will change your life and might affect everything from getting hired to getting loan approval.
Financially, the decrease to your bank account can go beyond DWI fines. Consider conviction costs: attorney fees can be a minimum of one or two thousand dollars, and that's if there is nobody else involved in your drunk driving-related accident. Attorney fees increase tremendously if other parties are involved.
If someone is injured or killed, the costs rise even higher. New York requires an insurance surcharge of $4500 over 3 years in addition to the DWI fines. This is over and above your actual insurance premiums.
If convicted of DWI, budget insurance companies will not write you a policy. You will have to resort to high-rate insurance carriers. Alcohol evaluation and treatment can cost several hundred dollars alone. Finally you must pay the DWI fines imposed by state or local jurisdictions. DWI fines can range from $300 up to $5000 or more. DWI fines average about $500 in New York.
You have the long-term residual costs of a conviction, in addition to the insurance premiums, attorney fees, and DWI fines. If a person is injured or killed because of your drunk driving, you can be sued in civil court.
If convicted, damages from a civil can go into the multi-million dollar range. Lost job time is a certainty, which can amount to hundreds to thousands of dollars in lost pay and used vacation or sick time. Your life insurance premiums can also increase dramatically.
Upon returning to work, you might be labeled as a drunk driver by coworkers and supervisors. This can endanger your chances for promotion. Finding another job can be an exercise in frustration. Why? Because nearly all job applications ask if you have prior convictions.
In addition to all the financial risks of DUI (driving under the influence), lose your driving privileges. Even if you are not convicted, you may be required to take a class outlining the risks of drunken driving.
These classes are commonly called "DWI School." You must take these classes in order to receive permission to drive again after your arrest. If you fail to complete the class, that may cause an indefinite license suspension. The inability to drive can also affect your ability to earn a living. You may have to relay on public transportation if it is available.
Financial repercussions of driving while intoxicated go far above the DWI fines. DWI begins a series of no-win events. Drunk driving an utterly irresponsible and stupid action. Don't do it - you will be saving your life, the lives of others, and your future.
This article is ©2006 by Doug Smith, who provides many free and valuable articles on DWI Arrests. Learn more about DWI arrests, DWI attorneys, your DWI rights, the dangers of drinking and driving, and much more DWI information at http://DWI.FindCarsForHire.com. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this copyright notice remains intact, the article is unchanged, and all hyperlinks remain active and clickable.
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