Getting arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) charges in Hawaii can have a lot of consequences for your life. The first and most obvious is that you could face criminal penalties, including jail time and massive fines. Even if you avoid jail, it is likely that the state will suspend your license.
Far too many people simply focus on avoiding jail time instead of addressing all of the potential consequences of a DUI charge. The loss of your license can cause a host of issues. Truly understanding the potential results of losing your license can help you make a more informed decision about how you approach pending DUI charges in Hawaii.
Losing your license can impact your job
If you ever have to drive for work, your employer will very likely frown on DUI convictions. After all, when you drive on company time, they have to worry about potential liability. Employees who drink and drive outside of work could pose additional risk of doing the same thing while on the clock. That could lead to your employer changing your job responsibilities or even terminating your position.
Even if you never have to drive for work, a DUI charge could still impact your job. Some companies have a zero tolerance policy for criminal convictions or guilty pleas. If that doesn’t affect you, unreliable transportation might.
Many people struggle to schedule timely rides if they don’t have their own car. Having to depend on public transportation or ride-sharing apps, like Lyft or Uber, could mean that you become a habitually tardy worker. This could lead to write ups, disciplinary action and even the loss of your job.
You will have to pay a premium to catch a ride in Oahu
Residents of Hawaii often pay a lot more money for the same goods and services when compared to the people on the mainland of the United States. Not only do you have to pay more for your vehicle and more for gas, but you will also have to pay more money if you want to ride in someone else’s vehicle. Just getting to and from work using a service through an app could cost you hundreds of dollars every week.
Ride services, including Uber and Lyft, have developed terrible reputations for gouging people in Hawaii. In fact, it has been so bad that Honolulu recently took steps to cap surge pricing for these services. In other words, these companies that are supposed to be affordable alternatives are charging rates so high that local lawmakers needed to step in and stop them.
When you consider the potential impact on your job, the inconvenience, the expense and the social repercussions of losing your license, it is clear that it is more than a minor inconvenience. For those facing pending DUI charges, a thorough defense may be the best option to mitigate the consequences of losing one’s license.