Consequences of Drunk Driving
Confidence soars. Stars twinkle in both the night sky and around your head. Euphoria takes over and you make the decision to take a seat behind the wheel. This scenario is all too common in our society. Alcohol is glorified everywhere from social gatherings to television, putting a sense of ease around alcohol based scenarios. Everyone has heard stories about drunk drivers killing innocent children in head on collisions, but no one thinks it will ever happen to them; and most of the time they are right. The odds of being struck by a drunk driver are slim. However, the odds of you being the drunk driver and causing that head on collision are quite significantly higher, and receiving a ticket while driving under the influence is almost unavoidable. Indeed, driving under any level of intoxication will make you a prime candidate for receiving a DUI, which in turn will leave you in the wake of consequences both emotionally and financially draining.
Paying The Price
One of the most immediate consequences of receiving a DUI is the offender having their license suspended. The time suspended varies state to state and by the severity of the incident, but is usually at least ninety days. Fines for driving under the influence vary from state to state as well. In Texas a first time offender can be charged up to two thousand dollars. Another consequence of receiving a DUI is an inflated insurance premium. Points will be added to your license and your insurance company will use set regulations to decide your new premium and how long it will be implemented. Sometimes a chemical dependency treatment center is used to measure the severity of an offender’s addiction to alcohol. He or she must then complete an alcohol treatment program based on the severity of their alcohol problem. In some states DUI offenders found to be addicts must complete a two year program. Traffic school is also mandatory in some states. The emotional consequences of receiving a DUI are usually the hardest to bear. Many offenders are afraid that friends or family will hold them in a different regard. It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes, and while driving drunk is a terrible mistake, you are not a terrible person. Striking a balance between forgiving yourself and striving never to make the same mistake again is the key to becoming a responsible adult.