The Cost of Not Driving After a DUI

 Posted on September 16, 2024 in DUI/DWI

A lot of people find that the worst part of being charged with a DUI is not being able to drive for a year or more. When you lose your driving privileges, you lose your independence. While nearby Chicago has an excellent public transportation system, making it possible to get anywhere in the city without a car, the same cannot be said for more suburban Will County. Even if you work in the city, getting close enough to its borders to catch a train may be a struggle. Fortunately, there are steps a Joliet, IL criminal defense lawyer can take to help you get your license reinstated or to gain temporary restricted driving privileges.

How a DUI License Suspension Can Impact Your Life 

Losing your license, even temporarily, can affect you financially, socially, and in terms of your career or education. A few ways this loss of license might impact your life include: 

• Higher cost of transportation - While having a car is not necessarily cheap, having to take Uber or Lyft frequently can be even more costly. Additionally, if you find that doing your grocery shopping in person is no longer practical without a car, you might have to pay higher fees for delivery. 
• Missed work or class - If your train or bus runs late or the person who was supposed to drive you cancels, you are likely to be left stranded with no way to get to school or work on time. If you are frequently late to work or miss classes because you do not have reliable transportation, this can have a severe impact on your career or education. A temporary restricted license may allow you to drive for these essential purposes. 
• Your social life suffers - To get to social events, especially those that run late into the night after buses have stopped running, you would have to rely on your friends to drive you. While most people are accommodating in the short term, such as when a friend’s car is being repaired, you may find that you receive fewer invitations out. 
• Reduced safety - It is generally safer to use your own vehicle than to take public transportation, especially at night. When you can park at your destination without having to walk to a bus or train stop, you are less likely to experience unsafe situations. Women, in particular, may find that they are no longer willing to go anywhere after dark or avoid certain places they used to feel safe going to because of the area they would have to walk through or the behavior of others on public transportation.

Contact a Will County, IL DUI License Reinstatement Lawyer 

Law Offices of Jack L. Zaremba, P.C. can help you fight to regain your driving privileges after a DUI arrest. Experienced Joliet, IL license reinstatement attorney Jack Zaremba will do all he can to restore your driver’s license. Contact us at 815-740-4025 for a complimentary consultation.