Colorado drunk driving laws use a tiered system of sanctions, with heftier fines and longer license suspensions and jail time for repeat offenders. Whether or not a serious or fatal accident was involved can also significantly influence the penalties for a drunk driving conviction.
But the Denver DUI Lawyers at The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal understand the true cost of a drunk driving conviction can have very little to do with the punishment handed down by a judge. Typically, a first-time offender could face several days in jail, $1,000 in fines and court costs, community service, alcohol assessment classes, and a 9-month driver’s license suspension.
Colorado DUI PenaltiesFirst Offense Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI)
First Offense DUI
DUI with Blood-Alcohol Level greater than .20
Colorado Drunk Driving – Second Offense DUI
Colorado Drunk Driving – Third Offense DUI
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Experts put the true financial cost of a Colorado DUI at between $7,000 and $9,000, not counting attorney’s fees which are downright reasonable by comparison. Financial costs associated with a DUI include car towing, bail, fines, court costs, alcohol evaluation and treatment, probation and supervision fees, driver’s license reinstatement fees, and increased auto insurance premiums. Insurance premiums alone can cost an average of $4,000 more over the next several years.
A DUI arrest or conviction may also result in time away from work, or even job loss. A conviction on your record can also make it more difficult to obtain future employment.
And the costs don’t stop there. The Denver DUI Attorneys at The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal believe motorists with a DUI conviction face an increased chance of being arrested for a second offense. While 30,000 people a year are arrested for drunk driving in Colorado, that is less than 1 percent of the population.
However, one-third of those arrested are charged with a repeat violation of Colorado’s DUI laws. Some argue law enforcement is more likely to arrest chronic offenders, and that argument may have some merit. However, it seems equally apparent that having a DUI conviction on your record also makes it more likely that you will be stopped and questioned by law enforcement in the future.
So let’s review.
On the surface, you are looking at 9 months without your license and fines for a first offense. In reality, you may be looking at $10,000 or more in costs, a DUI conviction on your permanent record, an increased risk of being arrested in the future, and the possibility of losing your job or missing out on a job opportunity because you are a convicted drunk driver.
The DUI defense lawyers at The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal believe anyone charged with DUI in the Denver area, including Aurora, Boulder, Englewood and Lakewood, is entitled to quality legal representation at a fair price. Call today for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal – Call 303-825-2223 – Free Consultation
