DUI Convictions And Costs

How will a DUI conviction affect my auto insurance?

Typically a DUI conviction will cause your premiums to increase, sometimes considerably. Sometimes it can cause you to be dropped by your insurance company and it can make it difficult for you to obtain new car insurance. This also depends in large part on whether you have prior DUIs or prior bad driving offenses and whether you are already a high risk driver. So, if you are 45 years old, you get a DUI, you have no prior tickets or bad driving history, it may not affect you that much. On the other hand, if you're a 20 year old guy and you have a couple of speeding tickets already and you get a DUI conviction then it can become very difficult for you to get insurance at that point.

Could I go to prison for a DUI conviction?

You can be put in custody for a DUI conviction. Typically that will occur, or be more likely, if it's a subsequent conviction; a second or third or fourth conviction. With each one the length of custody will increase, or if there's an accident in which a third party is injured. In that case, even in a first offence, you're likely to see some custody time.

Will my DUI conviction affect my ability get a job?

Your DUI conviction may affect your ability to get a job. Today, almost every employer, before they hire somebody does a background check. That background check will typically reveal if they've been convicted of a crime, if they're on probation, and whether they have any active warrants. If you have a DUI conviction, it is most likely that that will surface and the prospective employer will be aware of it. Whether they hold it against you depends on the employer. But many employers see a DUI conviction or especially a number of DUI convictions, as a sign that the person may have a problem with alcohol, that the person may be irresponsible, and the employer may want to shy away from that applicant.

Will I have to go to rehab or AA if I am convicted of a DUI?

If you are convicted of DUI, even a first offence, most likely at a minimum you have to do a court imposed alcohol class. If it's a subsequent offence, if you have a high BAC, if somebody is injured, or if there are drugs involved then the length and intensity of that alcohol program is likely to be much greater.

If I am convicted of a DUI will I have a criminal record?

If you're convicted of a Driving Under the Influence (DUI), you will have a criminal record. Most first and second offense DUI's are misdemeanours. Most third, fourth and subsequent offense DUI's or DUI's with injury are felonies. Either way it's a crime, and if you're convicted, you will have been convicted of a crime and you will in fact have a criminal record.

How long will a DUI conviction stay on my criminal record?

There is a certain mythical belief that criminal records only apply for a certain amount of time. The reality is, unfortuanatly, you're liable to have a criminal record forever. If somebody does a background check they will see that you had a DUI even if that occured decades ago. However, many states have a process called an expungement. An expungement is where if you've successfully completed your probation, that will be reflected in your criminal record. In many states, such as California, if your DUI conviction has been expunged, then a prospective employer is not supposed to use it against you in hiring or promotion decisions.

What percentage of DUI arrests result in a conviction?

The percentage of DUI arrests that result in conviction varies by state and county, and sometimes by courthouse within a county. In some places, virtually everybody who's arrested ends up being convicted of DUI. In other places, many of the cases are dismissed, successfully defended or reduced to lesser offenses.

How many DUI related fatalities are there in the U.S. each year?

It is estimated that there are approximately 25,000 traffic fatalities each year in the United States that are attributable to alcohol consumption.

What DUI laws exist in foreign countries?

Almost every country in the world makes it illegal to drive under the influence for obvious reasons, it's unsafe, and some countries are much harsher than others. Some countries you could go to jail for many, many years, face devestating consequences even on a first offense. Some countries are relatively lenient. Different countries have different BAC standards. In Europe, many other countries have a .05, .04 standard where if you reach that BAC level then you are guilty of being under the influence. So the laws vary, the standards vary, the consequences vary, but the concept really is the same, that if you operate a motor vehicle and you've either drank alcohol or you've taken drugs and you're no longer able to operate safely because of that consumption, then it's illegal and you'll face consequences.