If you are hitting the bar on St. Patrick’s Day, do not drink and drive. In fact, never drink and drive. It is a simple concept and hopefully, after knowing the cost of a first time DUI in California, it will be an even simpler concept to understand and follow. Here are the costly consequences:
- License is revoked for a period of time. To get it reinstated, you need to pay $100.
- Car insurance will increase for a few years and it all add up to the tens of thousands of dollars. Most people do not think of the long-term overall cost because they only look at it in the short term, but if you add up your insurance payments over a few years and compare it to the cost you would be paying if it was not increased, you will be surprised. The average is $40,000 total for 3 years.
- You will need to take and pass a DUI course, which will cost at least $600.
- Your car will be impounded and you are responsible for the towing and storage. Expect to pay at least $600 or more if the car is kept longer.
- You can go to court without a lawyer, but it is not recommended to do this. Attorney fees can be a few thousand dollars. The average for a first-time DUI will be around $4,000.
We will let you do the math and add those average figures up. Also note that these figures are for first-time DUI cases where the driver is pulled over by a cop. The cost will increase drastically for repeat offenders, and those who end up in accidents since they will then be paying for hospital bills and car repairs.