DUIs are taken very seriously in South Carolina. If you are convicted of a DUI, you may be sent to jail due to your first offense. Most people would consider as much as 30 days in jail a significant cost for a DUI. But loss of freedom is probably the least likely cost of a first-time DUI. It is much more likely that you will suffer significant financial costs. The breakdown of DUI costs is a lot more complicated than the law suggests.
Many of these costs are much higher than they appear on paper. Understanding the true costs involved with a DUI can help you avoid the devastating consequences of DUI penalties.
Before discussing the true costs of a DUI, you need to understand what the costs are on paper. According to South Carolina DUI laws, the cost of a first DUI, and all subsequent DUIs, depends on the level of BAC, or if refused. As terrifying as a large fine can be, they do not even scratch the surface of the true long-term costs of a DUI.
DUI fines can be costly. However, fines alone do not meaningfully represent the long-term costs of a DUI.
Several factors need to be considered in the long-term costs associated with a DUI, and none of these costs appear in any South Carolina DUI statutes. While you should never plan to commit a DUI, understanding how much these costs can add up may help you be more careful in situations that could result in a DUI.
Have you been charged with a DUI in South Carolina? The legal team at Whalen Montalvo may be able to help you save money on fines and long-term costs. Contact our law firm at (864) 770-7710 to discuss your case with an experienced DUI attorney.
In some ways, this is the one “cost” that is more of a savings. Attorneys from an experienced law firm may be able to help you avoid fines or other consequences of a DUI conviction. However, there are upfront costs to hiring a lawyer, and usually, those costs will be thousands of dollars.
Every insurance company in the country will raise your rates if you are convicted of a DUI, assuming they will even continue to sell you insurance. Depending on other aspects of your record, your rates could increase by thousands of dollars per year, and that rate hike might last for the better part of a decade.
After a conviction, you will lose your license for at least six months. During that time, you will need to find alternate transportation. Public transportation may represent a savings but only if you can exclusively rely on it. If you have to also pay for taxis or ride-sharing services, you will probably spend quite a bit more than you would have on gas and car maintenance.
Many employers will fire an employee who has been convicted of a criminal offense, even a misdemeanor. And finding a good job with a criminal record is difficult. Even worse, a DUI is not eligible to be expunged. It will remain on your criminal record for the rest of your life.
Furthermore, landlords are less likely to rent to someone with a criminal record. This means your housing is likely to cost more money than it would otherwise.
The good news is that you will probably be able to get auto insurance after a DUI. Most insurance companies won’t refuse to sell you insurance after a DUI unless you have multiple offenses or you seriously hurt or killed someone. However, you may not be able to afford the insurance you are offered. Insurance companies will significantly increase your rates, usually by several thousand dollars a year.
The financial costs of a DUI are quite devastating, potentially harming your wallet for the rest of your life. If you want help avoiding those costs, Whalen Montalvo may be able to help.
Don’t delay after being charged with a DUI. Contact our law firm at (864) 770-7710 immediately to speak with a DUI criminal defense attorney who cares.
I grew up right here in Greenville, South Carolina. Following highschool, I attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where I was an NCAA Scholar-Athlete for the Rhodes Lynx soccer program.
I completed my law degree at University of South Carolina School of Law, where I was on the mock trial team and an editor for the Journal of Law and Education. Following graduation, I served as a judicial law clerk for Senior Judge Robert H. Hodges, Jr. on the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. My experience in D.C. trial courts solidified my desire to become a trial lawyer.
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