Driving under the influence penalties
You may already know that a DUI conviction has tough penalties like jail time, probation and fines according to California Vehicle Code 23152. Those are the criminal penalties. However, there are many non-criminal penalties you may not know that go hand in hand with a DUI conviction. In California, there are a variety of ways a DUI conviction will change your life. The following is a small sample:
Higher Car Insurance Premiums
Yes, your car insurance will automatically increase as a result of a DUI conviction. Depending on the type of car insurance you have, it could cost you thousands of extra dollars per year.
Educational Program
The court may require you to participate in an alcohol and or drug program. In other words, you’ll have to take time out of your schedule to attend DUI school. The hours you spend may be a minimal of 12 hours or can be as high as 18 months or more.
Missed Educational Opportunities
Are you currently in school? Are you planning to pursue a college education? A DUI conviction can cause you to miss a lot of educational opportunities that could impact your future career chances. Let’s say you are a student athlete. You may lose your scholarship or be suspended from the team because of your DUI conviction. In fact, a DUI conviction can damage your chances of getting into any college, graduate, medical or law school.
Missed Employment Opportunities
A DUI conviction impacts your job whether it is missed work because of court dates or jail time. However, there may be other consequences. For example, you may be immediately suspended from work. If your license is suspended, you may not be able to perform your duties because you can’t drive. Employment penalties are even worse when you are working towards a high-profile career like a law, medicine or business. It could derail your chances of securing one of these positions.
Loss of Driver’s License
A DUI arrest, not conviction, initiates another non-criminal penalty. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV, conducts its own case on your guilt or innocence. You must schedule the hearing to challenge your license suspension within 10 days from the date you were arrested. If you don’t, your license remains suspended even if you are not convicted of driving under the influence.
Damaged Reputation
You may not care what people think about you. However, your reputation will definitely suffer because of a DUI conviction. You may have to repeatedly explain to neighbors, friends, family, co-workers and future employers about your DUI conviction.
Ten-Year Worry
A DUI offense stays on your criminal record for 10 years. This means that every time you drink and drive you are at risk of committing a second DUI. A second conviction has higher penalties than a first-time DUI conviction.
The best way to avoid these non-criminal penalties is to aggressively fight your DUI charge. The Law Offices of Jonathan Franklin is ready to fight the charge on your behalf. As a former prosecutor, Jonathan Franklin knows how the presiding prosecutor will mostly handle your case. This allows him and his team to attack the evidence from every angle to get the charge dismissed or reduced. Contact the Law Offices of Jonathan Franklin today.
