Can you go to jail for your first DUI? Driving under the influence is a terrible decision that causes multiple car crash deaths per day. If you make that mistake, your 1st conviction of DUI can get you arrested. However, a good DUI attorney can help you lessen your sentence to something less severe than jail time. They might be able to get you community service or probation instead of jail. While it isn’t always possible to avoid jail time for a DUI, your lawyer might also be able to get you a shorter sentence than you would otherwise receive. For your first conviction, the court might go a little easy on you, especially if you and your lawyer agree that you feel remorse for your accident as a drunk driver.
If you do get arrested for driving under the influence, your first call should be to get a lawyer. A DUI attorney is someone who specializes in these cases, so they’ll be able to improve your chances of a lighter sentence. Work with them and your chances of going to jail will be much smaller than they would be without a lawyer.
Driving under the influence is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Getting caught and being charged with a DUI is a serious offense. A DUI usually includes a large fine with possible license suspension and sometimes even jail time. Your insurance rates goes up and it could even impact your ability to get a decent job later on or any travel plans you may have.
The reason that insurance premiums can go up is because the idea is, if you have been caught driving under the influence, chances are, this is not your first time doing so which makes you a high risk driver. In the year 2013, drunk driving caused more than 10,000 deaths. Alcohol and other substances affect our central nervous systems and slow down reaction time and cause a lack of concentration which affects the ability to monitor speed and judge distance correctly.
However, there are things that insurance comes will do to work with you. For example, they may issue you a ignition interlock device or a car breathalyzer. If you can prove that you have not driven while intoxicated for a period of time, your premium may come down. The way that the ignition interlock works is that every time you try to turn on your car, it will tell you to breathe into the system. Once that is done and the ignition interlock processes your alcohol content, if it passes the test, the car will turn on. Some systems will not allow you to come to a standstill and leave the car idling for more than a few minutes without asking for another breath test. While a car breathalyzer costs quite a bit, it will help you in the long run when it comes to insurance premiums and also court cases. An ignition interlock shows that you are taking the necessary steps to stay sober which looks very good to a judge. They need to know that you are serious about changing because of lowering your charges.
There are times that you may need to obtain certain forms before you can begin to drive again. These forms are either an @R-22, FR-44 or an FR-19. After a severe conviction, some states require you to file proof of financial responsibility. These forms prove that you do in fact have the state minimum requirements for car insurance. It only costs about $25 to file these forms and whoever your insurance company is will do that for you. While the SR-22 is the most common, you may be asked to file the others depending on the state you live in at the time.
Nobody can guarantee that you will be able to avoid a DUI conviction after being caught but you will need a lawyer who can please your case for you. There are lawyers that specialize in DUI’s that are usually the best option if you want to maximize your chance of success. Proving to the courts that you understand the severity of the case and take it seriously and are working to change will go a long way if you do not please guilty. IF you are serious and work hard, even if the DUI conviction does not go away, the judge may waive your driving restrictions or suspension and do what they can to help you out. It’s at these times that an insurance company can be told to issue an ignition interlock in order to help you prove that you no longer drive with alcohol in your system.
Driving under the influence is a very irresponsible and selfish thing to do. If you know you are going to be drinking on a particular night, ensure that you have transportation procured for afterward whether that be someone to call a taxi for you or give you a ride. A DUI can also be issued if you are under the legal drinking age limit and that makes the charges stack up higher against you. If you have not had a DUI, please do not test yourself. It’s not just about the fees and the breathalyzer and the lost opportunities, your life and other people’s lives could hang in the balance from your irresponsibility and lack of control.
