DUI Facts and Using a Ride Service

Benefits Of Using A Ride Service Like Lyft

1. It makes life easy when shopping, dining or going out. Get dropped off right at the entrance!

2. Driver has undergone a background check

3. Clean, newer vehicles required

4. Driver can locate you wherever you are by GPS in the phone ap

5. Usually arrives in 5-15 minutes with a growing number of drivers available in most cities.

6. Cost is inexpensive, less than cab fare and even if going 3-5 miles cost is usually less than $10

7. It's unbelievably easy, just set up the ap and click to request a driver.

8. No cash exchanged. Your credit card is set up in the ap.

Seriously... why would someone not do this.. Why would they even drive a few miles, risking their life and the life of others and place added stress and problems in their life with a DUI or accident.

The High Cost of Drinking and Driving

As your planning your holiday parties and meeting friends out for for a quick cocktail or beer think about....

These Sobering Facts

Did you know that…?

Drunk driving is the most frequently committed crime in the United States.
About 30 percent of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related car crash during their lifetime.
More than 40 percent of all fatal auto accidents are alcohol-related.
An alcohol-related crash kills one person every 31 minutes and injures one person every two minutes.
Auto accidents are the greatest single cause of death for young people between the ages of six and 27. Almost half of these accidents involve alcohol.
Your chance of being involved in a drunk-driving accident increases dramatically with every two beers you drink. Have a six pack and your chances of being in a drunk-driving accident are 44 percent.
1,700 college students die each year from alcohol-related accidents, including car crashes.
Approximately 600,000 college students are injured under the influence of alcohol, many of which are automobile-related.
California has a 0 tolerance for drinking ANY alcohol while operating a motor vehicle. One beer is not Ok. DMV and the state of California are two separate entities and have separate rules and laws. While it may be acceptable to DMV to drive with a BAC under .08.... It is not acceptable in a California court system.

How Much Does DUI Cost?

Beyond lost lives and painful injuries, alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost federal and local governments and taxpayers approximately $51 billion each year

Of course, a single DUI won’t cost you anywhere near that much. But getting caught driving under the influence can be an expensive. Costs vary state by state, but you could spend about $4,000-$5,000 on fines, impound fees, in California, a DUI treatment program for 9 months at an average cost of $120 per month,, insurance premium increases could be over $1000 per year and other things—and that’s before you hire a lawyer.

Legal Consequences

Some consequences of a first DUI arrest and conviction are:

Your license will be suspended for a period of time. (If under 21 it is for one year in California)
You will to participate in a treatment program. (in California a minimum of 2 hours per week for 9 consecutive months)
You will spend the night in jail upon arrest plus you may be sentenced to 2-4 days of additional jail time or ordered into a work program for triple the jail sentence time.
You will not be able to pass a background check when applying for employment at some jobs.
A DUI will stay on your driving record for 10 years.
If you kill someone while driving under the influence, you could get a manslaughter charge and go to prison.

But even for first offenders, DUI laws and penalties are getting tougher every year.

As of the end of December 2007

all states have:

Made 21 the legal drinking age
Passed Zero Tolerance laws prohibiting drivers under 21 from having any measurable alcohol in their system
Lowered the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for adults from .1 to .08

And your failure or refusal to take a breathalyzer test has increased consequences. Nearly two-thirds of all states now allow arresting officers to confiscate your driver’s license on the spot!

Penalties for repeat offenders are also getting tougher. If you get a second or third DUI conviction and you will likely face:

Mandatory jail time
Longer license suspension
Larger fines

Even hardship licenses for driving back and forth to work are hard to get these days. So if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having multiple DUI’s, severe consequences can be difficult or impossible to avoid even with a good lawyer. Most states now have Habitual Violator laws, which require felony convictions for three DUI convictions. Three-time losers can lose their driver’s license permanently and can even lose basic civil rights like the right to vote and may serve prison time

Long Term Consequences

Once you’ve been convicted of a DUI, you will probably have to disclose that conviction on every future application you fill out. Most potential employers take DUI convictions seriously. A DUI conviction may also prevent you from joining the military or getting a government or civil service job.

If you’ve already got a DUI, now is the time to take advantage of every option within your reach to turn your life around. By recognizing that you have a problem and taking the initiative to get help, there is a chance you might even get your record erased.