With millions of operating vehicles and registered drivers, the United States holds one of the busiest roads in the world. And with that comes the inevitable – road accidents. According to data, 2020 has recorded the highest number of motor vehicle crashes yet, with a total casualty of 42,060 and 4.8 million injuries. Further resulting in $474 billion annual property damage.
Over the years, accidents related to driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol combined have increased accidents and deaths among young adults. Therefore it is only fitting that the government takes preventative efforts to decrease or at least try to eliminate the increasing number of driving under the influence or DUI cases. If you don’t want to find yourself in a tight situation, you need to think about your actions carefully. It’s always best to take precautions and anticipate these consequences.
You will be in custody.
If you are arrested for DUI, officers will most likely transport you to the police station or detention, get your mugshot biometrics, and other vital details. This procedure might be frightening, causing concern and panic, especially if you are new to this kind of arrest. While it is possible to be released immediately, you would need someone to pay for and fetch you from the station to do so. It could be a friend, acquaintance, or family member.
Depending on the extent of the accident, penalties may vary from serving jail time for a day or stretch it to years and payment for damages done or both.
You would have to prepare yourself for trial.
If proven that you were under the influence at the time of the accident, a court trial hearing will be scheduled, and you would be expected to attend each session. You will be facing charges against yourself. If you wish to protest and argue your way out of the allegations, you can submit a non-criminal complaint to court. On that note, you need to prepare yourself for the investigation. Note that authorities may present pieces of evidence such as field sobriety or breathalyzer that officers took on the police dashboard on the day of your arrest. So you need to choose your cards wisely.
Your driving privileges are revoked.
It doesn’t matter whether this is your first offense or not – if you are convicted of the crime, prepare to have your driver’s license and other privileges revoked. This nightmare will also have a significant toll on your record later on, which may affect your future job applications, immigration and can even lead to denial of reentry to the United States. Like most states, refusing to comply with an alcohol and blood test carries the risk of losing your driving privileges before you ever go to the courthouse. It can even result in incarceration.
Fines. Fines. And more fines.
Another possible consequence is that you will be required to pay penalties, bails, and other fines. Each state has enacted legislation imposing a charge as an element of the penalty for drinking and driving. The consequences may be even more severe if other violations are committed at the same time.
The severity of the fines will be decided by the circumstances surrounding your arrest. This includes property damage, putting someone else in danger, causing bodily harm, or even untimely death. To put it bluntly, if you’ve had too much to drink and you’re driving, you are in for severe consequences. Additionally, you will be held financially responsible for paying any court-related expenditures that arise as a result of your case.
Getting a DUI will also have a negative impact on your auto insurance. For instance, should you want to reclaim your license and apply for one, companies would require you to submit additional supporting documents before granting you one. In some instances, prices can also double or even triple; thus, consider applying for a reputable high-risk auto insurance provider to assist you with your needs, regardless of your location.
Let us break the stigma of admitting that we need help with substance abuse and drinking problems, especially if these issues can potentially harm ourselves and our loved ones. Moreover, being able to get behind the wheels is both a privilege and an obligation. You need to be more cautious of your safety and the ones who will suffer if you get into an accident while you are under the influence.
A lot has happened over the year that has tested everything we hold dear and true. Life is short. Sadly, we only get to pass by it once. That said, train yourself to be a more mindful and more responsible functioning part of society.