Creating A Solid Defense

If you have recently been arrested and charged with a driving while impaired charge, you probably know that you will have to pay out a lot of money in attorney fees and court fines in order to take care of things. However, you might not realize just how much the other costs of a DWI can be. These are some of the added expenses that you should also be prepared for.

1. Increased Insurance Rates

You probably already know that your car insurance will go up once you have been convicted of your DWI, but you might not realize just how much of an increase you are facing. The amount that your rate will go up will depend on things like your overall driving record and whether you were cited with additional driving violations or were involved in an accident when you were charged with your DWI. Your state might also require you to obtain an SR22 certificate from your insurance company after your conviction, which will also result in added costs.

2. Ignition Interlock Costs

If you blew high on the breathalyzer when you were charged with your DWI, or if you have been convicted of multiple DWIs over the past few years, there is a good chance that the courts will require you to install an ignition interlock system in your vehicle. This system will require you to blow into a breathalyzer-type device, and if the machine detects that you have been drinking alcohol, it will not allow you to start your car. These systems can be costly to install, and you will probably need to take your vehicle in monthly to have the device calibrated, which will also result in charges.

3. Court-Ordered Community Service Fees

Depending on where you live, there is a good chance that you will be expected to perform a certain number of hours' worth of community service as a part of your sentence. Although you might not mind giving away some of your time to your community, you might think that the free labor alone will be enough. However, you should know that many jurisdictions require you to pay a community service fee in order to perform court-ordered community service, so you should be ready for this cost. Plus, you may lose some money in wages if you have to take off of work to perform your community service.

As you can see, you are going to have to pay for a lot more than just hiring an attorney and paying your court fines. Make sure that you are prepared to pay for these three things, and talk to a criminal defense attorney like Dimeo Law Offices about other expenses to expect. Then, you'll be ready to take care of things when you go to court.