Drunk driving convictions have far-reaching repercussions extending beyond the court. Typically, DUI cases cost up to $30,000 in addition to indirect financial hardships. The impacts can affect your life beyond serving a sentence and paying fines.
While direct consequences like license suspension and fines have immediate effects, overlooked collateral impacts can be more devastating. This blog post explores overlooked repercussions of a DUI conviction.
Education and Professional Licensing
A DUI conviction can compromise your professional and educational goals. Students may be subject to disciplinary action, while individuals holding or seeking professional licenses may face suspensions, investigations, and license renovation from the licensing bodies.
Most professional boards have a strict code of conduct and may consider DUI offenses a contravention of their guidelines. This may culminate in disciplinary reviews and subsequent temporary or permanent license revocation.
If you hold a professional license, it’s vital to consult a lawyer who understands DUI impacts on your professional standing. Sills DUI & Criminal Defense Lawyers can guide you through the disciplinary process and take measures to mitigate the impacts.
Diminished Employment Opportunities
Besides affecting your education and professional standing, DUI convictions may pop up in your background information. This creates significant hindrances to specific job opportunities or career advancements. Typically, most employers have stringent DUI policies, which can potentially make you ineligible for certain positions.
Some states embrace “at-will” employment policies that allow employers to fire for any reason except discrimination. If your supervisor learns about the conviction, you can lose your job. Specific industries are more likely to dismiss employees or decline to hire a suitable candidate due to a criminal record. For instance, it’s almost impossible to get a teaching, healthcare, firefighting, or law enforcement position with a DUI.
Even when your boss understands your situation, DUIs may ultimately hurt your career path. For example, incarceration periods and court appearances lead to absenteeism, affecting work projects. This can compromise your reputation with the organization and slow down future promotions.
Higher Insurance Premiums
Most insurance companies view DUI convicts as “high-risk” clients. Your insurance rates often increase after a conviction. The surge affects vehicle, home, and life insurance premiums. This profiling can inflict a massive financial burden since the elevated rates remain effective for several years.
Driving when intoxicated multiplies the risk of severe road accidents. Since DUI points to a chronic alcohol problem and higher chances of premature death, life insurance premiums skyrocket. For instance, the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Program increases your insurance premiums by 340% for 36 months following a conviction. Some insurance providers may decline to cover you due to the perceived risk. Moreover, it takes several years before you can renegotiate better rates after a single DUI incident.
Endnote
It’s essential to make sound decisions on alcohol consumption to prevent the devastating aftermath of a DUI conviction. The criminal record damages your profile, which can compromise your education and employment opportunities. Given the potential impacts, it’s important to consider available options with an attorney to ensure minimal implications.
