Many people think that getting a DUI is just a minor infraction -- until they get one. Then they realize just how serious and costly the penalties can be and the impact that a DUI conviction can have on their lives.
If you're applying to colleges, you may be required to answer questions about whether you've ever been convicted of a crime. The same is true for financial aid applications. A DUI can prevent you from getting into or being able to afford the college of your choice -- an important stepping stone to your future.
If you're already working, a DUI could cost you your job and even your profession. If you have a career that requires licensing, like medicine, the law or many trade professions, you may have to disclose any criminal records on your initial or renewal applications. Some companies also have policies that allow them to fire employees who are convicted of a crime.
If you have a job where you drive a company-owned vehicle, whether as your primary responsibility (like a bus driver) or to make sales calls, your employer may not be able to insure you. If you have a commercial driver's license (CDL), a DUI will stay on your record for decades. You'll likely have to find a new profession.
Even if you have an employer who won't fire you for a DUI, you'll likely have to take some time off of work for court dates, to serve jail time, to enter a recovery program or to do community service. Some employers are more understanding about these absences than others.
Of course, you'll have to ask for a waiver on your driver's license suspension to drive to and from work and other court-ordered activities. You may well lose your current insurance, and have to pay a considerable amount for another insurer to cover you.
For these and more reasons, you'll likely want to do everything possible to prevent a conviction or at least minimize the impact of a DUI. An experienced Maryland DUI attorney can help you work to do that.
Source: aol.com, "9 Ways A DUI Will Destroy Your Career," Donna Ballman, accessed March 14, 2018