Even if you do not feel impaired, driving a motor vehicle after having too many drinks is very dangerous. Everyone knows that drunk driving can lead to legal charges, but being imprisoned or fined are not the only penalties that you will face if you are driving while under the influence of alcohol. Here are a few other potential consequences that you might face if you choose to drive drunk.
You Will Lose Your License
The legal penalties for drunk driving often include suspended or revoked driver’s licenses. Even a first conviction with no previous charges may result in up to two years without a driver’s license. Depending on where you live, this may make it very difficult to do daily activities. In small towns without public transportation, some people end up losing their job if they can no longer use a car to travel to work, and even running simple errands becomes difficult.
Your Career May Be Damaged
If convicted of a DUI charge, you may have trouble finding places to work in the future. Any sort of criminal background check will show either a felony or a misdemeanor, and most businesses are unlikely to hire someone who was convicted of drunk driving. Even if no one was harmed in any way during your drunk driving incident, you may have difficulty furthering your career. Depending on the policies of your employer, you might even be fired from the job you currently hold after the DUI conviction.
You May Lose a Lot of Money
According to Denver attorney Kurt Zaner, a person who is injured by a drunk driver may be able to successfully win a civil lawsuit against that driver. This means that if you drive drunk and injure someone, that person may be able to sue you for compensation. In addition to paying for medical bills, you might end up having to pay for the injured party’s lost working time or impaired physical abilities. Therefore, between the fines you may owe the government and any money you lose in lawsuits after the criminal case, you might find yourself impoverished after the drunk driving accident.
The many potential consequences of drunk driving can ultimately be overwhelming. Not only will you face legal penalties and potential guilt from harming another person, but you will also find that drunk driving can negatively affect your lifestyle and habits. Because drunk driving is widely condemned, the repercussions after one drunk driving arrest may continue to haunt you for years.
This article is from Lizzie Weakley, a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. She enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her four-year-old husky Snowball.
