Shattered Lives: How Drunk Driving Affects American Families
One of the most common charges that someone can receive is a DUI. This can sometimes be known as a DWI. Either way, the charge would mean that you were driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you have been charged with drunk driving, there are a few ways that this could impact your family whether it's short-term or for years in the future.
Embarrassment
When your family hears that you've been arrested for drunk driving, they might not be very happy. They likely won't want to spread the news around to their friends and neighbors or let other family members know what you've done. Drunk driving can be an embarrassment for your family.
If you're involved in an accident, then drunk driving can be a shock to your family as well. You're going to need to talk to accident and personal injury lawyers to try to stay out of jail and to try to minimize the impact that your charges have on your license and criminal record. Luckily, if you're a resident of Milwaukee, seeking professional help from OWI attorneys Milwaukee can provide essential legal representation and support during this difficult time. These attorneys have a deep understanding of local laws and can work diligently to build a strong defense strategy tailored to your case. Their expertise can help you navigate the legal complexities, protect your rights, and strive for the best possible outcome in your drunk driving case.
Employment
When your employer finds out about your drunk driving fiasco, you could lose your job. This means that you won't be able to support yourself or your family for at least a short time.
In some situations, you might not be able to secure another job until you go to court or until you demonstrate that you've learned from your mistakes. If you're unable to work, then you could lose your vehicle, home and even your family if you're unable to provide the care that they need.
Trust
After being charged or arrested for drunk driving, your family might feel as though they aren't able to trust you like they once did, especially if they didn't know that you were drinking. You took a chance of getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking and could have injured or killed another person. This is a huge obstacle that your family needs to have time to process.
Although they will likely still love you because you are family, they might not love your actions. You will need to work on earning their trust over time, but if you take classes and learn from your mistakes, then this can be accomplished.
Money Issues
Aside from the overall embarrassment that you might have to face with your family, you're going to have fines and fees to pay that are associated with your drunk driving charges. If you're involved in an accident, then those fines could be significantly higher. Add on more money that you're going to have to pay if there are any injuries or if a death occurs as a result of an accident that you caused.
Here are a few other money issues that you could face:
- Attorney fees
- Towing your vehicle
- Medical bills if you're in an accident
- Medical bills for victims
- Higher insurance
Treatment
Sometimes seeking treatment for drinking can decrease the time that you are ordered to spend in jail. However, this can have an impact on your family. You'll need to take time away from your family, which means that they will need to do more around the house. They will need to do more to care for any children that you have.
If you attend an inpatient program, then you might be away from home for a few months so that you can get the help that you need to overcome any problems that you have with drinking.
Another issue that you could face is losing your license. This can impact your family because you're going to have to rely on someone to take you to work, to court, to classes and to general places you need to go in town. You can ask your attorney for more information regarding the consequences a drunk driving charge might have on your family.