Life After a DUI: Tips for Personal and Professional Recovery
You made a mistake. A big one. You realized that as soon as you saw the flashing lights in your rearview mirror and were pulled over to the side of the road. Among what will possibly be coming after deciding to drink and drive are a night spent in jail and lots of financial misfortune. Increased auto insurance rates will be just one consequence among many.
Owning up to your mistake and making some personal changes will help you get through what is coming. There really is life after a DUI. A conviction isn’t the end of the world — even if it seems like it now. You can take concrete steps to reduce your auto insurance rates, get your full driving privileges back, and help make things normal again.
Navigating the Aftermath of a DUI
The legal charge might have different names in different states. It might be called driving while intoxicated (DWI) in one part of the country. Elsewhere, the charge might be operating under the influence, or OUI. Whatever it’s called where you live, a DUI or its legal equivalent is trouble. Here’s how to recover from a DUI.
Accepting Responsibility and Making Amends
Get a lawyer. Contest the charge if you’re not guilty, or your charges might be dropped or reduced without too much cost or hassle. But if you’re convicted for DUI, you can spend a lot of time and money appealing — or accept responsibility and vow to do better in the future.
That means realizing that the mistake was only yours. The laws against drinking and driving aren’t unfair. The cop and the judge weren’t out to get you. Now, it’s your responsibility to follow your court order and learn how to live within your new (and temporary) limits.
Understanding the Legal Implications and Moving Forward
The penalties for DUI (or similar charges) vary depending on where you live, and whether this is your first conviction — or your sixth. In every state, the penalties get harsher if you repeat the same mistake.
Wherever you live, and regardless of how often you’ve been convicted, your car insurance after a DUI will cost more. Your ability to drive will most likely be impacted, at least initially. That might mean a total suspension of your driving privileges or permission to drive only in limited and predetermined situations.
If you can’t drive at all for a period of time, find out how to get around on foot, by public transportation, or by the kindness of friends and family. Can you work from home? You might also appeal for limited driving privileges so you can get to work, take the kids to and from school, go to medical appointments, or meet other critical demands.
Rebuilding a Personal Life Post-DUI
It might be tempting to see your DUI as a one-time thing. You rarely over-consume and never drive when you do. The night you got caught was just a weird exception. And that might be the truth.
Or not. Your DUI recovery period is a good time to reflect on your lifestyle. Do you spend a lot of nights in bars? Is the cocktail hour the most exciting part of your day? Do you often drink alone at home? Have you had other instances when you were driving when you shouldn’t have been on the road and fortunately didn’t get caught?
Being arrested for your DUI might actually be a lucky event if it causes you to take a harder look at your life and make certain changes. The next police stop, after all, could be after an accident with injuries or fatalities.
Developing Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Future Incidents
The penalties will get harsher for second, third, and additional convictions. The fines will be steeper, and you’ll eventually face jail time. You’ll keep paying for lawyers, and over time all insurance companies will stop offering you even expensive coverage. Or your license will be forfeited, making insurance costs a moot point.
None of that has to be in your future. If your drinking or drug consumption is getting out of hand, you can find help online in the form of treatment centers and support groups. Or ask your doctor for help.
If you regularly drink, but don’t think it’s a serious problem, at least socialize closer to home. Is there a bar or restaurant within walking or public transit distance? Do you have non-drinking friends who can serve as designated drivers? Or can you retire your car keys for the night and do all of your drinking at home? Just remember, with overdrinking comes a loss of impulse control and good decision-making.
Strategies for Professional Recovery
The impact of a DUI can reverberate in your place of employment, particularly if it causes you to miss significant work time. That’s why your work status should be top of mind as you begin your DUI recovery.
Overcoming Employment Stigma After a DUI Conviction
Your conviction can affect your employment picture in a couple of ways. It might get you in trouble with your current employer or make it difficult to get a new job later.
If you can’t go to work because you’re in jail or unable to find transportation after a license suspension, you might find yourself out of work unless you have an understanding boss. To avoid that possibility, see if your lawyer can get you limited driving privileges so you can get to work. Or figure out dependable alternative means of transportation. Can you get a ride from a co-worker who lives nearby? Take the bus? Walk or bike to your place of employment?
None of the alternatives might be ideal, but it is worth it if it means keeping your job. If there are no other good options, is working from home a possibility? This will mean having an honest discussion with your employer. Convince your boss that it was a one-time error and indicate what you’ve done to minimize the risk of it happening again.
If your DUI conviction is a first offense, it’s probably a misdemeanor. If that’s the case, you won’t need to mention it when job-hunting in the future. But if you have multiple offenses, or your only DUI resulted in other serious charges, you’ll have felonies on your record.
Many employers insist on a background check before hiring, so don’t lie on the job application when asked if you have a felony. You’ll need to get out in front of the issue in the interview. Explain the circumstances and the changes you’ve made in your lifestyle to improve your situation.
The Legal Road to Redemption
It might seem for quite a while that it’s you against the law. The fees and penalties are high, and your driving privileges are either lost or severely restricted. But there’s some good news: All of this is temporary as long as you act responsibly moving forward.
Meeting Court and DMV Requirements
Although coping with a DUI conviction can be difficult, don’t ignore your court order — the penalties increase for driving on a suspended license. That can mean harsher fines, a time extension of your license suspension, and sometimes even jail time. It’s not worth it.
Ask your lawyer or the court system if you don’t understand any aspects of the court order. Your legal documents will likely include a phone number for such assistance.
Regaining Driving Privileges Responsibly
Most states have what’s known as SR-22 insurance. This is liability car insurance coverage that the state mandates once your driving suspension has been lifted. You must file forms with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to show proof that you’ve obtained this coverage. Your auto insurance agent can provide you with this coverage and file the paperwork for you.
There might be further restrictions on your driving privileges. Make sure you know the details and comply with all laws and regulations.
The cost of your SR-22 coverage will almost certainly be higher than what you used to pay. The reason why SR-22 insurance is needed is because your DUI made you a high-risk driver — one who is likelier than the average motorist to get into an accident and be sued or file an insurance claim.
Fortunately, your high-risk status and your insurance rates decline over time if you have no additional DUIs, moving violations, or other road-related legal issues. Eventually, you’ll be charged no more than what you used to pay (or even less).
Making Sure You’re Covered on the Road to DUI Recovery
At Acceptance Insurance, we’ve helped countless policyholders deal with life after a DUI by getting them back behind the wheel legally with affordable auto insurance. Recovery often starts with SR-22 coverage, which we’ll help you obtain just as we’ve done for thousands of motorists.
Our independent auto insurance agents don’t work for just one insurer. They represent the lines of numerous brand-name insurance companies. That means they can shop for the most affordable coverage regardless of your driving status.
Call 877-405-7102, or get a quick online quote. You can also find an Acceptance Insurance office near you and discuss your situation with one of our understanding agents.
