How Will a DUI Affect Me Now and for the Future?

If you have been charged with a DUI, you are no doubt concerned and confused about what comes next. The fact is that a DUI conviction can have lasting effects on your future that you may not have even considered. If you find yourself in the challenging position of being charged with a DUI, don’t wait to reach out to an experienced Joliet DUI attorney today. 

The DUI Charge

In Illinois, the charge of driving under the influence (DUI) applies if you are deemed to be under the influence of alcohol (or another drug) while behind the wheel. The legal definition for being under the influence of alcohol is having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or more. The effects at this level can include all the following:

• Decreased muscle coordination, including issues with balance, speech, reaction times, hearing, and vision
• More difficulty detecting the risk of danger
• Losses related to one’s judgment, reasoning, memory, and self-control

How You Will Be Affected Now

If you are arrested for DUI, you may have to spend a night in jail, which can be exceptionally challenging in and of itself. Further, a DUI charge can affect your social standing and even your job. If you are convicted, you can face up to a year in jail and fines of up to $2,500. The consequences of a conviction, however, do not end there. 

Future Consequences

If you are convicted of a DUI, it means that all the following can play a role, and that you can expect your future to take a serious hit:

• You will likely have your license suspended for from 6 to 12 months.
• You may be required to take a DUI class, to receive counseling, and/or to have an ignition interlock device system installed before you can have your license reinstated. You can also expect to pay much higher car insurance premiums going forward. 
• You will have a permanent criminal record, which means that your mugshot and your fingerprints will be on file.
• Your conviction will be a matter of public record, which means that anyone who’d like to can look it up. 
• Because your record is a matter of public record, it can make getting a job, renting a house, obtaining the loan necessary to buy a home, receiving a federal student loan, being accepted into the college of your choice, and much more far more difficult. 

A DUI conviction can also adversely affect your professional licensure (or even void it). All told, the consequences of a DUI are too serious not to bring your strongest defense from the outset. 

Don’t Delay Consulting with an Experienced Joliet DUI Attorney

If you or someone you care about has been charged with a DUI, you face considerable consequences that can seriously mar your future. Because your case is important, the accomplished Joliet DUI attorneys at Sabuco Beck, P.C. are standing by to help. To learn more, please don’t wait to contact us today.