If you have been charged with an aggravated DUI, it may feel like your life is over. It’s not. You just need to know what you need to do to get back on track. You can do it with help from legal experts. The penalties for an aggravated DUI can be severe, the law requires that as impaired driving is one of the biggest safety issues on American roads that killed 10,908 people in 2017 alone. That said, just because you’ve been charged with an aggravated DUI charge, doesn’t mean that you will be convicted of one. Find out everything you need to know about this charge right here.
What is an Aggravated DUI?
This kind of DUI charge is a serious charge because it indicates that factors other than being impaired were involved in the DUI. In first offense matters, a DUI is often a misdemeanor. However, you can be charged with an aggravated DUI if any of these situations are present:
- Personal injury or fatalities were present
- Severe property damage
- Minor children were present
- Excessively high Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) (BAC 0.20% or greater)
- Multiple DUI’s already exist on the record
- Driving while your license is suspended or has been revoked
- Excessive speed
- Refusing to consent to a blood alcohol or roadside chemical test
Penalties for Aggravated DUI
If you are charged with an aggravated DUI, you may be charged with a felony. The legal costs alone for a first offense could be as high as $10,000 just to start. At the same time, you will be facing legal consequences that could cost you further:
- Driver’s license revoked
- Fines
- Prison terms
- Vehicle seizure
- Probation
- Community service
- Higher insurance rates
- Alcohol rehab or classes
- Ignition interlock system installation
- Civil costs if you are sued by other parties
- A criminal record that could stay on your record for years
More Background Checks
When you’ve been convicted of a DUI, you have a record. It will be harder for you to obtain things like housing and employment. You probably will not be able to get a transportation or driving job. You also may even undergo a background check if you apply for college or university.
It can feel demoralizing and like there is a stigma, and in many ways there is. You may be renting from someone that lost someone to drunk driving, for example. It’s important to stay on track with what your lawyer tells you to do to ensure that your community perceives you as a responsible and contributing individual.
Take Charge of Your Life
As soon as you are charged with an aggravated DUI, make the decision to start making better decisions. When you do that, life doesn’t feel so hopeless. You will be required to handle the problem with the law. You may have a lawyer that is able to get the charge reduced if there are mitigating factors in your case. Follow their advice and the advice of the law that is helping you get back on your feet again. An aggravated DUI is a serious problem, but there is life afterward.
