A DUI is REALLY expensive these days! And we don’t just mean in financial costs…
When it comes to a drunk driving arrest, there’s a lot more at stake than you might realize. For example, even if there is no collision and no one is hurt, the cost to the driver can be huge! The full financial ramifications of being arrested for drunk driving are actually quite serious. Which means the real cost of a DUI in Michigan is a lot higher than you think.
Not sure what we mean? Let’s take a look…
These are some of the costs you’re going to end up facing after the cops pull you over for drunk driving, and arrest you:
- There’s the time you spend in court, which results in missed work hours and lost income.
- Then there’s your court fees if you are convicted,
- And your court-ordered fines if you are convicted,
- The cost of reinstating your license if it is suspended,
- And there’s also the cost of paying for your court-ordered substance abuse classes.
- Don’t forget your probation oversight fees.
- Oh, and the ignition interlock system that the judge might decide you need, which you also have to pay for! Don’t forget the extra points on your driver’s license.
- And don’t forget your attorney fees! (Thought you might save yourself a few bucks by not hiring a defense attorney and letting the court assign you one? Bad idea!)
What were the circumstances of your arrest?
Of course, all of this is based on the assumption that you just got pulled over, and didn’t actually hit something with your car. Because if you did, a collision changes the game entirely! There’s the cost of the damage to your vehicle, which can end up in the thousands, especially if you don’t have full coverage. (If you do have full coverage, you’re stuck with the insurance deductible.) Lots of money, right? Stick around…. We’re not done yet!
Michigan is a no-fault insurance state, which means that your insurance often doesn’t have to cover the cost of damages to the other person’s car. But what if it wasn’t another car that you hit? Many drunk drivers damage property owned by a city or township, or by other people or businesses. Lamp post? Fence? Utility pole? None of those grow on trees you know! That can mean increased fines for you. Oh wait, did your car get impounded after the crash? Got to pay to get it out too!
There’s more! You still have other things to pay for…
Don’t go now, we’re still not done! Did you forget bail? Because that’s not cheap! Don’t want to spend the money posting bail? No problem. However, if you don’t post bail, you sit in jail, which could cost you your job. Later on, once you’re out, there’ll be even more lost income when you have to take more time off for court dates and community service. Do you suddenly feel the urge to cling to your wallet and cry? Sorry, it’s not over yet…
Another fact that many people don’t realize is that, on average, the car insurance premium increases after a DUI tend to go up about 94.13%. Seriously? 94.13%! And that’s just the national average. As it turns out, Michigan is right up there near the top of the list, having some of the highest insurance rate hikes in the US.
Michigan’s insurance rates are astronomical!
The reality is that a DUI in Michigan is going to cost you many thousands of dollars. So if we can give any advice at this point, it would be that you spend the extra twenty bucks on a cab or an Uber ride – it may seem like money wasted now, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what you’ll have to fork out if you get pulled over and arrested for drunk driving. Still not sure? Consider this…. $20 now, or $10,000 later. You do the math.
Plan ahead, make smart choices, and be safe. If however, you’re dealing with the results of a judgement error or are suffering from a single bad decision, call us immediately at 866 766 5245. The skilled DUI defense attorneys at The Kronzek Firm have decades of experience handling drunk driving charges in mid MIchigan. We can help you too!
