Although driving while under the influence does not back you a bad person, it does demonstrate extremely poor judgment as well as a general disregard for not only your own safety, but the safety of others. Getting a DUI in Ventura County does entail certain severe consequences.
Not only will you be arrested and possibly forced to spend time in jail, you will also have to pay serious fines and court fees as well as making restitution to anything or anyone you harmed because of your carelessness. You will lose your license. If you are not a first time offender, you may be at risk of losing your license permanently.
The courts will make it mandatory for you to attend drunk driving school where you will be taught about the dangers of driving while intoxicated and the repercussions of getting a DUI in Ventura County. You will have to pass a state test to show you are truly ready to once again get behind the wheel of an automobile. If it is determined you have a drinking problem, you could spend time in treatment. This treatment can range from simply attending group therapy classes to being admitted to a drug and alcohol rehab center.
After all that– paying your fines and court costs, going to driving school and completing a rehabilitation program– your consequences for getting a DUI in Ventura County may not be over. You will put on probation with a zero tolerance policy, and you may be forced to endure the humiliation of having an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle. The essence of this device keeps your car from being started if it detects alcohol on your breath when you breathe into the machine. The costs associated for the device and the monitoring service are not cheap and they are on your dime.
Those are not the only costs you will incur. You automobile insurance policy is sure to increase dramatically. The special policy for people convicted of drunk driving is called an SR-22 policy, and it can double, even triple your premiums. The cost of drunk driving can also creep into your place of employment. If your job requires you to drive or being able to pass a security clearance, you may be terminated.
