14 Apr 3 ways a DUI can ruin your life

There’s one night you’ve looked forward to for months. It’s not date night or your birthday or the premiere of the new Gilmore Girls revival. It’s girls’ night. The kids are at home with your significant other or a babysitter, and you get to unwind and catch up. While the location and activity may vary, there’s often one common denominator for all girls’ nights – adult beverages.

While you deserve a night out to relax, a glass of wine while chatting about the antics of preschoolers can quickly turn into a bottle of wine. And when you realize you need to get home to the aforementioned preschooler, you might think that you are fine to drive. After all, it’s been a couple of hours and a several plates of appetizers.

But nothing is less relaxing than when a night intended to decompress turns into a drunk driving arrest. Even if you only have to drive a few blocks, it’s not worth the risk of a DUI. Here’s why.

You Can Go To Jail

In California, a DUI is considered a serious crime. It’s not just a minor traffic violation. There are major repercussions, including jail time. You don’t even need to be a repeat offender – first time offenses carry jail time, too. So what might seem like a really stupid, but somewhat minor, mistake is actually a criminal charge with serious consequences.

You Can Lose Your License

California has some of the toughest DUI laws, including possibly losing your license for months. Whether you are driving to work, shuffling kids to and from activities, or just picking up groceries, you’ll quickly realize how often you need to drive. Without a license, life will look a whole lot different. And it is hard to explain to friends and colleagues why you are no longer able to drive yourself and your children around without divulging the truth and dealing with the judgment.

It Will Be Expensive

The fines alone for a first time offense are close to $2,000. That doesn’t count the mandatory alcohol education course you will have to take. And if you decide you don’t want this scarlet letter on your permanent record and you enlist an experienced attorney to help you, you will have attorney’s fees as well. And while the lawyer fees are worth it, there are probably things you’d rather spend that money on.

The best way to avoid the stress of a DUI is to not get one in the first place. Call Uber or a cab, plan ahead and designate a driver. But don’t take chances when it comes to drunk driving.