What’s at stake if charged with drunk driving?

If the police issue you with a drunk driving charge, it is crucial to understand the full consequences you could face.

Many people only look at the immediate effects, failing to realize just how long a conviction could affect them.

Here are some things to consider:

Increased insurance premiums for years to come

Insurers are quick to hike their prices once they discover you have a charge for operating while intoxicated (OWI), but they will be slow to drop them. The average price rise for the first offense in Michigan is 183%.

Difficulty getting work

If you drive for work or need to drive to work, your employer may let you go during any initial license suspension. Things may not get much easier once you get your license back. Employers often prefer people with a clean license as it helps keep their premiums low. They might also believe anyone caught drunk driving once may be susceptible to doing it while driving for them.

When seeking a new job, most employers will carry out background checks, and some will ignore you if you have a criminal record, which you will do if convicted of OWI.

It might be too late to avoid an arrest, but it’s not too late to prevent a conviction

Time is of the essence when issued with a DUI charge. Securing legal advice straight away is essential to prevent you doing or saying something that unknowingly makes your situation worse. Once you have made sure of that, you can start working together to examine what will be your best defense option to avoid an OWI conviction.