Prop One and the Cost of Drunk Driving

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With Austin residents deciding that they no longer wanted Uber/ Lyft to operate inside of the city by voting down prop 1, an early concern of many is the positive influence the ride sharing companies had on the amount of drunk driving happening in the cities. While personal responsibility is the most important part of preventing DWIs, a larger set of options helps make the option of driving drunk less likely. During this time it is important to remember that a DWI is not worth it under any circumstances.

 

The True Cost of a DWI/DUI

A DWI is one of the most common legal challenges that can befall someone, it is also one of the most expensive. There are many costs associated with it that are straightforward; the legal fees and penalties directly associated with the DUI being the main costs in this category. However there are also several hidden costs associated with a DUI from the time spent in jail and going to court to the potential harm to your current and future career.

 

Legal Fees and Penalties

Even a first time DUI conviction can cost up to $10,000. The fine for a DUI is actually one of the smaller costs associated with a DUI coming in at 500-1800 dollars. The largest cost associated with a DUI however is the cost of hiring a lawyer for your defense. Lawyers charge an average of 2500-4000 dollars to represent a client in a DUI case. Other non trivial amounts can be charged to get get a car out of impound, the cost of towing, attaching an interlock device to your car and the the cost of administering a blood alcohol test. ]

 

Other Costs

Common estimates predict that a loss of income totally between $1000 and $4000 associated with a DUI. Also, anyone with a DUI conviction on their record will indeed tell you that after they have paid the legal fees and fines, they have to pay for their mistake for a long time after every time they go to pay their car insurance policy. For just a single DUI insurance can increase from 4500-10000 over the life of the policy.

 

These costs coupled with the fees, fines and hassle make it important to remember that even though Uber/ Lyft is no longer an option to get home safely, driving drunk is not one either.

Preparing for a Bail Hearing

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Bail operates to secure your presence at future court hearings. The bail hearing will be your first court appearance. A judge or magistrate will be present along with a prosecutor. You have the right to have an attorney present on your behalf. The prosecutor will often make their recommendation on bond to the judge. If you’re represented by counsel, your attorney will make their own recommendation. In his or her sound discretion, the judge will determine the type and amount of bail.

Form of bail
Depending on the crime that you’re charged with, bail might consist of a written promise to appear in the future with a cash bail should conditions be violated. It might also consist of posting cash or some form of property with the court before you can be released. Various factors can influence whether a signature bail or cash bail will be required. Be prepared to answer questions along the following lines:Seriousness of the crime alleged
Whether the crime alleged is a misdemeanor or a felony is taken into consideration. Allegations of violence and drug crimes, and whether you’re a threat to the community might be examined more closely than others. A signature bond or lower cash bond is usually permitted for misdemeanors.Existing warrants
Any outstanding warrants for previous crimes will result in your being detained until such time as the jurisdiction that issued the warrant can respond. If the warrant is for failure to appear, the bond hearing might be continued for a short date to determine how the other jurisdiction will respond.Family ties in the area
Your judge might want to know where you’ll stay and who you’ll be with during the pendency of the case. These might be the people you’ll rely on to help keep you out of further trouble with the law.

Steady employment
You’ll be asked if you have a job. If you do, be prepared to tell the judge where you work, how long you’ve worked there and your hours of work. They might also ask about a prior work history before your present job.

Property you own
In more serious cases, the court will inquire into ownership of real estate, vehicles and other personal property. A home, vacant real estate or personal property might be pledged for bail.

Prior criminal history
Lack of prior arrests will operate as a mitigating factor. Any prior convictions might be aggravating and influence the judge in setting a higher bond. They’ll have your prior history available and possibly in front of them. Tell the truth.

History of drug or alcohol abuse
Abuse of drugs or alcohol can impair judgment to the extent that a person might ignore future court dates. Prior drug or alcohol convictions can result in a higher bail amount. If you do make bail, you might be required to be periodically tested while out on pretrial release.

If you can’t post a bail bond, you can bring a motion to reduce the amount. Again though, any reduction is within the sound discretion of the judge. Be prepared to fully comply with any conditions that the judge might order.