There are many very dangerous consequences of driving under the influence. Not only is it illegal, but it also could result in an accident. But even if you avoid a collision, there can still be debilitating long-term consequences of driving while intoxicated. For example, if a police officer pulls you over and gives you a breathalyzer or field test, they might arrest you if you fail. You can even serve jail time. After you go through that, you likely will get more points on your license or could even lose it completely. And finally, all of this will cost you a lot of money. All in all, the potential dangers of driving under the influence make paying for a cab more than worth it.
The Consequences of Driving Under the Influence: Crime and Punishment
Injury or Death
Of course, the most dangerous consequence of driving under the influence is that you could kill yourself. Or injure another driver on the road. Your reaction time is much slower when you are drinking heavily. This can result in an accident more easily than when you’re sober. You could wind up hurting yourself or hurting an innocent person on the road. The chance of the guilt of this weighing on you for the rest of your life should make you eager to opt for a cab.
Arrest and Jail
Even if you avoid any accidents on the road, there are still serious consequences of driving under the influence. When people are drinking heavily, they tend to be erratic drivers. If a police officer pulls you over because of this, they’ll likely give you a field sobriety test or breathalyzer. If you fail these, you’ll be arrested. You could face jail time, especially if this is not your first offense. You’ll need to hire legal representation before you go before a judge, which can be very expensive.
Points or Losing Your License
Another of the consequences of driving under the influence is that your arrest could lead to points on your license. In addition, you might lose your license entirely. Especially if you have a history of drinking and driving. You might be required to take driving classes, attend alcoholism workshops, or even have a breathalyzer installed in your car’s ignition. If this is the case, you’ll need to breathe into it before your car will start to prove that you are sober each time.
Money
Finally, one of the consequences of driving under the influence that might make you think twice about complaining about cab fare is how much that ticket will cost you. If you get points added to your license, your car insurance is likely to get more expensive. In addition, you’ll be paying a lot of money towards legal fees. If you end up getting in an accident, you could be liable to pay for damage you cause or need to replace your car. All in all, the cost of an Uber is much less than the cost of a DWI ticket.
Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Not only are you putting your own life at risk, but you’re also putting every other driver on the road in harm’s way. Aside from a potential wreck, there are many more consequences of driving under the influence to be aware of. You could be arrested and put in jail if a police officer catches you. In addition, you might get points on your license or even lose it entirely. All of these things can be incredibly expensive, so the financial cost of a DWI ticket is something that can continue to negatively impact you for years. Nowadays, there are so many cabs, Ubers, and other ride-sharing services that it should be easy to get home from drinking without having to get behind the wheel of a car.