How DUI Conviction Affects Your Future
It may be tempting to treat a first-time DUI as a minor setback, but a DUI affects your future for a long time. Not only can you face immediate issues such as jail time and fines, but you may be facing months or years of recovery in terms of your driver’s license and car insurance rates. A DUI conviction can wreak havoc with your financial security and cause you to lose your ability to drive for a long time, so it is important to be sure that you explore all options to defend yourself against any DUI charge.
The Components of Driving
Driving legally upon Arizona’s highways is not just a matter of getting a driver’s license. In order to drive legally, you must also have insurance and be in compliance with any court orders regarding monitoring equipment. Therefore, if you are convicted of a DUI, your ability to drive can be impacted by three important things:
- Loss of license. If you are convicted of a DUI, you will likely lose your license for a period of time. The amount of time depends on the number of DUIs you have had, your blood alcohol content and even your age.
- SR-22 insurance requirement. If you are convicted of a DUI, it is likely that you will lose your current car insurance. Before you can drive legally again, you will have to have an insurance company file a special report with the state known as an SR-22. This means that the insurance company agrees to provide you with coverage despite your DUI conviction. SR-22 reports are available from some insurance companies but the price for insurance coverage is often extremely inflated.
- Ignition interlock device. An IID may be required if you are convicted of DUI. You must pay to have this device installed and pay a monthly monitoring fee as long as it is in your car. These devices measure your breath alcohol concentration every time you start the vehicle. Fees can run hundreds of dollars per year for monitoring and reporting services.
Clearly, driving after a DUI is not just a matter of getting your license suspension lifted. It is also important to consider the other requirements you may have if you are convicted of DUI. Contact the attorneys at the Oswalt Law Group in Phoenix for help in defending yourself from a DUI charge.