What are the consequences of a DWI/DUI conviction on your record?

On Behalf of | Oct 11, 2019 | dwi/dui

Each year, countless North Carolina residents are charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI). While many motorists are successful in regaining their license after it’s been suspended, some do not. A DWI/DUI charge on your record can affect more than your ability to remain a licensed driver though. A conviction on your record for such a criminal offense can impact you in other aspects of your life as well.

One of perhaps the most immediate consequences that you’ll notice after you’ve been convicted of a DWI/DUI is that you will lose your license. This can be super inconvenient as it will likely be suspended for several months.

Even if you’re successful in petitioning a judge to give you occupational privileges to operate your vehicle, you won’t be able to go just anywhere. You will be expected to go to work and back without making many stops along the way. If you stop somewhere other than your job, your child’s school or your doctor’s or attorney’s office, then you may lose your occupational privileges to drive.

Your automobile insurance company will likely contact you in the weeks and months following your DWI/DUI arrest. If you’re ultimately convicted of such an offense, then you can expect your insurance rates to go up significantly. They could remain high in the long term.

If you are arrested for a DWI/DUI, then you can expect to be placed in jail. You’ll have many court hearings to attend both before and after you’re released from incarceration. If your employer finds out about your arrest or you ask them to take off to go to court, then they may fire you.

Anyone convicted of a DWI/DUI is likely to have difficulty in landing a new job as most employers conduct background checks on prospective employees before hiring them on. If your job requires you to have a professional occupational license, then you may lose the one that you have. You may also be denied one in the future because of the conviction that’s on your record.

If you’re attending school on a scholarship, then your sponsorship may also be removed if you are convicted of a DWI/DUI.

There are many different ways that a DWI/DUI conviction can adversely impact your life. A DWI/DUI attorney can advise you of these consequences and whether there are any defense strategies that you can employ in your Statesville case.