The Truth About How A DUI Offense Might Effect Your Life

Perhaps you or someone you know thinks they can drive just fine under the influence of alcohol. Often times, people feel that they can handle a drink or two without any repercussions. They rationalize that they are a large person, or have had a meal, or are just able to control the affects of the alcohol. This is a risky attitude, as alcohol does and will impair your ability to drive.

A current fact is that car accidents are the number one cause of death in people under the age of 24. Alcohol contributes to 40% of these accidents. By driving under the influence, you are not only putting yourself in danger, but those around you as well.

Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows messages to the brain. This stalls your ability to react quickly. It is common knowledge that reaction time plays a big role when safely operating a motor vehicle. Also, alcohol impairs your depth perception, which is what causes the staggering movement when you drink. If you're planning on drinking and driving, it is worth being fully aware of how a DUI offense will affect your life and those around you.

Could you live with yourself if you killed someone by accident? It's not worth the risk. Of course, this would dramatically alter your life, as you could experience jail time. However, even if you don't hurt anyone and are caught drinking and driving underage, you won't believe how a DUI offense will affect your life dramatically.

First of all, you'll have your driver's license taken away from anywhere between three months to three years. This can make getting to a job or going to college unnecessarily difficult. Then, to get your license back you'll have to pay a steep fee. If the police so choose, they can also impound your car, with more fees to pay. This is on top of the fines you may be forced to pay which are anywhere from $100 to $25,000, depending on the city and state you are cited in. Sometimes you can even be charged for every penny related to arraigning your charges.

Then there are attorney's fees to consider which will be be anywhere from $500 on up. Imagine how a DUI offense will affect your life by putting you in debt and damaging your credit. You'll have a hard time getting into an apartment or house, getting student loans, and lose all of your extra spending money.

Depending on the state you live in, you could be placed in jail anywhere from two days to a whole year and/or put on probation from three to five years! If you really want to imagine how a DUI offense will affect your life long-term, think about trying to find a job with a felony on your record. In this economy, it’s difficult enough to find work with a perfect record. This detrimental mark will definitely push you down the list as a desirable new hire.

If you get caught drinking and driving underage, you'll lose your car and license, could face jail time, can be fined an exponential amount, and you could even have to live with a criminal record, making it hard to find a steady job. Is it really worth it? Take a cab. Knowing how a DUI offense will affect your life should make you think twice before taking the wheel while under the influence.