Adding Up the Total Costs of a DUI Will Make You Think Twice About Drinking and Driving

If you’re the type who enjoys sharing a beer or two among workmates after a long day at a local bar or pub, the last thing you might expect is being pulled over and convicted of a DUI. After all, you have always drank responsibly and you know when to stop, especially if you’re driving your vehicle home. However, even law enforcement officers can drink to excess.

But in today’s strict DUI/DWI law day-and-age, even two beers will be enough to earn you a DUI conviction,which means you should have thought twice before drinking even a single beer before getting behind the wheel. Even if you are the most upstanding citizen around, it’s also possible for you to make mistakes. But keep in the mind, so do the police.

This means you should not expect to be punished severely for making a mistake, or that you should not be treated fairly for a single legal misstep. However, “Many people who are convicted of a DUI, especially first-time offenders, find themselves lost once they’ve been arrested and booked, says personal injury lawyers Cohen and Winters. Since the charges and the costs of a DUI can be severe to say the least, it’s important to contact the most reputable DUI attorney you can find who can assist you with navigating the troubled waters of the DUI legal process.”

But what about those severe costs? How much can you expect to pay for a DUI conviction in 2023 and beyond? Says a recent report by Forbes Advisor, a DUI will likely be far more expensive than you first imagined. If you are pulled over and you are found to contain more than the legal limit for blood alcohol content or BAC, you will be charged. It’s important to know that every state has the same legal BAC limit of 0.08 percent, except for Utah which is 0.05 percent.

The ultimate solution to the DUI problem is really very simple. If you’re heading out to party with friends which includes imbibing in alcohol, do not plan on driving. Take public transportation, call an UBER, utilize a designated driver, or walk.

Drinking and driving is most definitely not worth the potential trouble. Not only are you putting your life and the lives of others at serious risk, it can result in the loss of your freedom, and cost your thousands of dollars you likely do not have.

Here’s more on adding up the total costs of a DUI arrest.

Breaking The Costs Down

It’s possible a DUI can cost you upwards of $20,000 or more. While every DUI case is unique, there remains lots of factors that will contribute to the overall cost of a DUI. Here’s what to look out for.

Bail Bond Fees

In most states, if you are arrested for DUI and placed behind bars, you will need to pay a certain amount to be released from jail. Most states will allow you to utilize a bail bond service, but that will cost your around ten percent of the total cost of bail. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $5,000 depending on your charge or charges.

If you fail to show up for your court date, law authorities will come after you and you will need to pay the full bail amount. Also, most bail bond services will refuse to assist you if you’ve been charged with more than one DUI.

Lawyer Fees

For first time offenders, your DUI attorney fees will likely run around $5,000 or less if you agree to a plea deal. It will naturally be more if you elect to fight your case in court. If you have a record of one or more DUI arrests, the $5,000 can easily turn into $50,000.

You always retain the right to show up any court without a lawyer to represent you. But you will be expected to pay the entire fine and whatever legal penalties are tossed at you by the judge which can include a night or two in jail, plus public service.

Or you can at the very least elect to hire a public defender for free who will attempt to represent your best interests in a court of law which means a possible reduction in fines and penalties.

Court Costs and Fines

Says Forbes Advisor, if you are convicted, you can expect to pay a fine of several hundred dollars so long as this is your first DUI and your record is clean. But the court will also charge you fees associated with handling your case. This cost can range anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to more than one thousand if you are a repeat offender. The court also can charge you for opening your case for both appearances and final judgement.

In the end, paying for a DUI is likely to place you in a major financial hole. You also need to includecosts for monitoring, probation, etc. Considering most American don’t have enough extra cash in the bank to handle a $500 emergency, what you need to ask yourself is this: Is having a few beers then getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle truly worth the risk?