You are at a Christmas party with friends and family. The kids all got presents. It was fun. Time to go home. But if you had a few drinks, it's not time to drive, especially if you have young children with you.
Never drive impaired with children in the car. The consequences can be extreme.
If you are stopped and arrested, DUI charges include enhanced penalties like greater fines, license suspension, or mandatory jail time. Parents can also lose custody of their children temporarily or even permanently, and face additional child endangerment charges. Even a single instance of DUI with children in the car can create a spiral of job loss, family breakup, and legal trouble.
Those penalties exist because impaired driving is so dangerous.
* About 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States are alcohol-related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
* About 25 percent of drivers in fatal car collisions tested positive for marijuana.
* About 11 percent of drivers in fatal car crashes tested positive for a stimulant such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
* About 9 percent tested positive for opiods.
Total financial costs are astounding and exceed $24 billion each year.
If you are stopped, you put yourself on a path to financial distress, if not ruin. Here are a few examples of DUI fines across different states:
* California: A first-time DUI can result in a fine between $390 and $1,000, with higher fines for repeat offenses.
* New York: Fines for DWI can range from $300 to $10,000, depending on the severity of the offense and prior convictions.
* Texas: A first-time DWI can carry fines up to $2,000.
* Florida: A first-time DUI might come with a fine between $500 and $1,000.
The personal costs of a conviction are difficult to endure. Loss of a driver's license causes multiple problems and in some cases, loss of employment. It is a misdemeanor offense which stays on your record for seven years and could impact work opportunities in the future.
Maybe you've heard all of this before, but stop to think about how being arrested would affect you and your family. If you enjoy an alcoholic drink or two, be sure to have someone in your party who will not be drinking at all. It doesn't take much to have a blood alcohol reading of .08, and it could change your life for years to come if you are charged with impaired driving.
