This blog has discussed on previous occasions how even those accused of drunk driving for the first time face the possibility of imprisonment and will almost certainly have to deal with a license suspension. Additionally, even one DWI or DWAI can have a negative impact on a New Yorker’s career, especially if he or she is a licensed professional or drives regularly as part of her job.
What might get overlooked, though, is the huge financial cost of a drunk driving conviction. All in all, a person can expect to pay thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands of dollars, over the course of several years after their conviction.
Granted, some of these costs are associated with even just getting arrested for drunk driving. For instance, a person may have to post bond in order to get out of jail. Depending on the circumstances, the person may also have his vehicle towed and will have to pay out of his own pocket to recover the car.
Moreover, in addition to fines, courts will be likely to impose costs and fees. These fees are likely to continue well after one’s court date. For instance, it costs money to stay on probation, undergo drug testing, get one’s license reinstated and the like. If alcohol counseling or treatment gets ordered, that can several hundred additional dollars.
Finally, someone convicted of drunk driving should fully expect to pay a lot higher automobile insurance premiums, at least for several months after their conviction. Since one has to have insurance in order to drive, these extra costs are hard to avoid.
On the whole, someone convicted of drunk driving can expect to fork over between $10,000 and $25,000 before the dust finally settles. Having the help of an experienced attorney may be able to mitigate some of this financial damage.
