When you get a first DUI charge, you might focus more on the short-term impacts and repercussions. After all, the possibility of time in jail will scare almost anyone.
However, it is the long-term repercussions that might create a bigger problem for you. But what are these repercussions?
Jobs that do not hire someone with DUIs
BACtrack discusses the impact of DUI in the long term. First, a DUI conviction could pull you out of the running for numerous jobs. Many positions do not hire people with a DUI on record for safety reasons. This includes:
- Jobs involving children (including childcare or teaching positions)
- Jobs that require a commercial driver’s license (CDL)
- Jobs with frequent operation of heavy machinery or equipment that you must drive
- Government positions
On top of that, many jobs also require a person to have reliable transportation. If you lose your license for a period of time after your conviction, this could mean you have to rely on public transportation instead. This alone might lose you a position, especially if your competition does have access to their own car.
Troubles in competitive housing markets
A DUI can impact your ability to find housing, too. Many housing markets these days have a high rate of competition. While a landlord cannot discriminate against you for your criminal record, they can still take it into consideration when making a choice between tenants for limited spaces.
Finally, you could even find your community shunning you. Many communities will treat a person in an estranged or outright hostile way upon finding out that they have a DUI on record, which can make living in a place that you once called home stressful beyond belief.
This is why you should take that DUI charge seriously from the start.