Possible Long-Term Consequences of a DUI Conviction

The consequences of being convicted of a DUI are swift and often severe, but they can also be long-lasting, and have an impact on your life for years. Even after the fines have been paid and jail time has been served, a DUI conviction can continue to have consequences. Keep reading to learn more about the possible long-term consequences of a DUI conviction.

Loss of Driver’s License

Even with a first-time DUI conviction, it is possible to have your driver’s license revoked. This can often last for as long as two years, but may be even longer for repeat offenders. Being without a license can make your life extremely difficult, forcing you to rely on public transportation and others around you for rides. Not having reliable transportation impacts your ability to get to and from work, attend doctor’s appointments, take your kids to and from school and other activities, and so on. Many people find being without a driver’s licenses to be crippling to their personal and professional lives alike.

Loss of Employment

Many employers have strict requirements for their employees regarding their criminal records, and a DUI offense can cause you to lose your job, and even impact your ability to find future employment. This is especially true of jobs that require you to drive or operate equipment, like driving a bus or a semi-truck. Employers often perform background checks on potential employees, and having a DUI visible on your record can cause you to lose out on many opportunities, regardless of whether it was a one-time offense or not.

Loss of University Enrollment and Scholarships

If you’re in college or have been accepted to a university, your enrollment in that college may be revoked after a DUI conviction. Many colleges refuse to accept students who have a DUI on their record. Even if your enrollment remains intact, there’s a good chance that you will lose any scholarships you may have been rewarded as a result of your DUI conviction.

Loss of Housing Opportunities

Like employers, some landlords will require a background check for any renters applying for a rental contract. If you have a DUI on your record, you may lose out on housing opportunities in favor of a renter with a clean record. The housing market is difficult enough as it is without adding a DUI conviction to the situation.

Loss of Personal Relationships

A DUI can often have long-lasting impacts on the personal relationships in your life. While this can vary from one individual to the next, many people pull back from those who have been convicted of a DUI. They may no longer trust you in certain situations, particularly behind the wheel of a car (assuming you still have your license, of course). They may question you each time they say you having a drink, even in completely safe and acceptable situations.

This loss of trust can take a toll on relationships for the rest of your life, and you may lose some of those relationships altogether, while others will be drastically changed. In either case, you will almost certainly discover that your DUI has consequences for every relationship in your life.

Reclaiming Your Life after a DUI

Facing consequences for a DUI is to be expected, but oftentimes, a single evening of poor judgment can affect you for the rest of your life. These lifelong impacts are often greater than is reasonable for the crime itself. At The Harr Law Firm, we can help those convicted of a DUI to reclaim their lives.

During your DUI trial, we can represent you to try to minimize the severity of these long-term consequences. If you’ve already been convicted, we can work with you on having your record expunged so that you don’t have to face loss of job opportunities, housing, and education as a result of your mistake. While we can’t erase every consequence of a DUI conviction, we can help you to reclaim your life, so that you’re not feeling the impacts of this choice for years afterwards.

Call The Harr Law Firm today to speak with one of our DUI attorneys, and find out more about how we can help you with DUI representation or expungement of your criminal record.