It’s no secret that a DUI will cost you. Ask any expert, like Moorhead Law — Boulder lawyer for repeat DUI — and they’ll lay out exactly how a DUI offense can expend your time, energy, money, and more. The question, however, is how much? It depends on the circumstances of course, but in the end, it might be even more than you initially imagined.
Listing The Costs That Come With DUIs
Perhaps the easiest costs to tally when it comes to DUIs are the financial ones. The average cost of a first offense can vary, but will often total thousands of dollars, and, according to the American Addiction Centers, include the following items in the final cost breakdown:
Bail: Upon being arrested for a DUI offense, you will be taken to jail and will need to pay a bail fee upwards of $2,500 in order to be released.
Towing Fees: Your car will be taken after a DUI arrest, and the costs to tow and impound it fall on you. That figure might get up to $1,200, depending on the circumstances.
Attorney Fees: Even using a public defender, you can expect to pay out a significant amount for an attorney to represent you in court. If this is a second or third DUI offense, that number will likely go up even higher.
Court Costs and Jail Fees: There are fees for sentencing, fees for probation, and even fees for spending time in jail, so expect these to start adding up.
Insurance Costs: Even if you didn’t cause a great deal of damage, say experts like Redondo Beach personal injury attorney McLachlan Law, you’ll likely see those insurance premiums increase, putting a hefty dent in your finances.
Educational Courses: Often, as a part of sentencing for DUI offenses, you’ll need to take substance abuse courses, traffic classes, etc. to get your license back. As you might have guessed, you’ll also need to cover the costs of these classes yourself.
Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs): Depending on the state, you might also need to pay for the installation of an IID on your vehicle to monitor your sobriety behind the wheel.
The Final Tally
As you can see, the list of costs associated with DUIs is lengthy, and this isn’t even taking into consideration factors such as lost wages, the need for alternate transport, and other closely-related costs that come into play. When all is said and done, a DUI offense, even a first one, can run you well over $10,000, so it’s best to avoid one if you can.