6 Long-Term Effects of a DUI Conviction on Life

A DUI is an offence that changes your life completely. It is the same all over the world, including in Canada. It can lead to severe consequences in various areas of your life. Read our blog to learn about these consequences and how hiring a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg can help you.

Getting a DUI or impaired driving conviction is more common than you think.

For instance, in 2022, over 70,588 impaired driving incidents were reported 2022 in Canada, as per records. So, you’re not alone in this. However, getting convicted for this crime can change your life in many ways.

But hiring a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg can help you. Let us now explore these consequences and how the DUI attorney can help you below.

What Effect Can a DUI Conviction Have on Your Personal and Professional Life?

You will face legal, financial, professional, academic, immigration, and personal consequences after a DUI conviction. Let’s explore them in depth below.

1. Financial Consequences

Your finances will be quite heavily drained when you get convicted for a DUI. You’ll have to pay the penalty, court fees, the attorney’s fees, and licence reinstatement fees.

In Winnipeg, the penalties for a Winnipeg DUI depend on the Blood Alcohol Concentration level (BAC) and the offence, as seen below:

Penalty (in CAD)	Reason

$1000	First conviction
$1500	BAC between 0.12 and 0.16
$2000	BAC of 0.16 or higher/ refusal to provide a breath or blood sample

Table 1: Penalties for DUI in Winnipeg, Manitoba

You will also have to pay for:

i) an ignition interlock device, costing about $1500 CAD

ii) reinstatement of your licence, costing about $50 CAD

iii) vehicle towing for 30- or 90-day impoundments, costing about 727$ CAD or $1771 CAD (not inclusive of taxes), respectively

iv) assessment of your alcohol or drug use, costing about $625 CAD

Basically, you will end up spending up to $5000 CAD or more, approximately, based on the severity of your offence. But a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg can argue about the BAC and the circumstances of the arrest, which can reduce your financial penalties.

2. Legal Consequences

The first consequence of getting a DUI is losing your license for a definite period, based on your offense. For instance, since this will be your first offence, your license will be suspended for 3 days.

If you had a passenger under 16 years of age in the vehicle during the arrest, then you could lose your licence for up to a week. Your vehicle will also be impounded for up to 30 days if you have a BAC of more than 0.08 or exceed the legal drug or blood level.

You could also face the following suspensions for your first offence:

i) 2-year suspension for refusing to provide a blood sample

ii) 5-year suspension for causing bodily harm or death

However, when you hire a Winnipeg DUI defence lawyer,they willargue the circumstances and manner of your arrest. They will also examine all the circumstances to determine the severity of your offence to overturn your conviction.

3. Professional Consequences

A DUI conviction on your record could prevent employers from hiring you for a long time, up to 5 years. You could be barred from applying for jobs involving driving or handling sensitive information.

Additionally, if you’re trying to apply for a government position, the lack of a clear record will automatically disqualify you. Similarly, you will not qualify for a law enforcement job either.

You will also lose your current job, due to the stigma associated with hiring a DUI convicted person. But when you hire a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg, they will try their best to make you employable quickly.

4. Personal Consequences

Since you will lose your licence for up to a week or more, you will be unable to fulfil your familial obligations. For instance, you will be unable to drive your kids to school, pick up your wife from work, or fetch your elderly parents ‘medicines.

You would also not be able to get your own groceries and other essentials, which could negatively affect the quality of your life.

Judges and lawyers could also use your DUI conviction to influence your custody battles. On the other hand, you could suffer from marital discord. But when you hire a Winnipeg DUI defence lawyer,they will help you by winning your case, helping you retain custody.

Some other consequences involve being unable to secure housing, apply for loans when required, or vote.

5. Academic Consequences

If you’re a student, then a DUI could negatively affect your admission to your dream institution. Educational institutions in Canada often require students to reveal information about any criminal convictions.

So, a DUI could wreak havoc with your acceptance if the school has strict conduct codes.

In case you’re pursuing higher education, then you could be debarred from getting a grant, scholarship, or financial aid. If you’re trying to apply for internships, then a DUI could bar you from that as well.

6. Immigration Consequences

If you’re a non-U.S. citizen, a DUI conviction on your record could lead to harsher penalties in the future. You could risk deportation or be denied a green card or visa. However, you can avoid that by hiring a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg.

They will try to get the record sealed, which could improve your chances of living a normal life.

Wrapping Up

A DUI conviction can be truly life-altering. However, despairing or panicking in such situations won’t do. You should instead stay calm and explore reputable DUI law firms or attorneys. Once you locate your preferred attorney, you should discuss your options and possible steps.

These could include preparing for your arraignment (first court appearance), recollecting everything from the time you drank till your arrest, and what happened afterwards. Your DUI lawyers will use all of this information to argue your case.

Take Measures to Overturn Your DUI Convictions!

Don’t despair, fight your DUI conviction by hiring a DUI lawyer in Winnipeg today!

6 Long-Term Effects of a DUI Conviction on Personal and Professional Life