The holiday season is in full swing – and with it comes the holiday office party, family get-togethers, and a night on the town for New Year’s Eve. If you aren’t careful, the holiday season can also come with a trip to jail and a very costly conviction for driving under the influence (DUI). Some things rarely change and the presence of alcohol at holiday get-togethers is one of them. You may have no control over the amount of alcohol you encounter during your holiday festivities; however, you certainly do have control over whether you end up in the backseat of a patrol car at the end of the night. As an incentive to be careful during the holidays. An Omaha DUI lawyer reminds drivers of the cost – and not just in monetary terms – of a DUI conviction.
‘Tis the Season…
The period of time from Thanksgiving week until New Year’s Day remains the undisputed “holiday season” in the United States. Children of all ages look forward to a lengthy break over Christmas while their parents can’t wait to see what happens at the office holiday party this year. Families also load up the family car and head out to spend time with relatives both near and far. The combination of a drastic increase in the overall number of vehicles on the nation’s roadways and an equally dramatic increase in the amount of alcohol served at get-togethers is undoubtedly a potentially dangerous combination. Not surprisingly, arrests for DUI and accidents caused by a drunk driver increase dramatically from late on New Year’s Eve until early on New Year’s Day. There are 71 percent more crashes with drugs or alcohol as a contributing factor between December 31st at 6 pm and January 1st at 6 am. In just that 12 hour period, alcohol and drug-related car crashes skyrocket.
What Will a DUI Cost You?
By now, just about everyone is aware of both the dangers inherent in drinking and driving and the legal ramifications of being caught driving under the influence. You likely realize that a DUI arrest and conviction is certainly not something you want to occur and that a DUI conviction will have a negative impact on your life; however, you may not truly understand just how costly a DUI conviction may ultimately be because the cost of a DUI includes much more than the judicial sentence handed down by the court. The penalties you face though should not be ignored when discussing the cost of a DUI. Even a first-time conviction could result in additional time spent in jail. In Nebraska, you face seven to 60 days in jail for a first offense. You will also probably be sentenced to a period of probation following any time in jail. Along with the fine that the court may impose, you will also be required to pay a monthly probation fee while on probation. Your driving privileges will likely be revoked as well, although you may be eligible for an ignition interlock permit (IIP). Of course, you will also have to pay to have the Ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle as well as for the monthly monitoring while using the device.
The cost of your holiday DUI conviction doesn’t stop there though. If convicted, you can almost surely count on your liability insurance rates for your vehicle to increase dramatically – and to stay that way for several years. If your job requires you to drive a company vehicle, a DUI conviction could even threaten your job altogether as you will now be more expensive to insure. You will also likely be disqualified for future employment opportunities if they require a clean driving record or a clean criminal background. Finally, if you want to have a fighting chance of avoiding a DUI conviction altogether, you will also need to add your attorney’s fee to the lengthy list of costs directly associated with a holiday DUI. Calling for an Uber, or relying on a designated driver is definitely a better choice; however, if you to make the mistake of getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking this holiday season and you end up facing a DUI charge, contact an experienced Omaha DUI lawyer right away.
Contact an Omaha DUI Lawyer at Petersen Law Office
If you find yourself charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in Nebraska, contact a DUI lawyer at Petersen Law Office 24 hours a day at 402-513-2180 to discuss your case with an experienced DUI defense lawyer.
Attorney Petersen was invited to join the National Advocacy for DUI Defense (NAFDD) organization in 2013. NAFDD vets thousands of lawyers and only chooses those who have achieved stellar results in DUI defense cases. Attorney Petersen was named one of the Top 50 defense attorneys in Nebraska out of more than 5,000.
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