What to Do After Getting a DUI in California

No one ever expects a DUI charge to turn their life upside down, but it only takes one time behind the wheel after a few drinks for everything to change. Getting a DUI is an overwhelming experience. Not only do you face the stress of an encounter with the law, but you’re also left challenged with the financial, social, and economic ramifications a California DUI charge can carry.

Understanding how to handle a DUI case and what to expect in the weeks, months, and years to come can help clear up some of your anxieties. From Ignition Interlock Devices to insurance rates, you may be dealing with complex matters—but you don’t have to do it alone. Read on to learn more about the post-DUI process so you can figure out your roadmap to life after a DUI.

Immediate Steps: Actions to Take After a DUI

If you’ve been arrested on DUI accusations in the state of California, you’re left to wonder what to do after getting a DUI in California. The first steps you take after your DUI arrest are crucial:

1. Keep calm. Easier said than done, but you’re more likely to make mistakes if you panic.
2. Contact the DMV within 10 days of your arrest to request a hearing.
3. Contact an attorney. DUI laws are often too complex to face alone.
4. Prepare for the hearing. (Follow your DUI attorney’s guidance.)
5. Don’t commit other offenses while waiting for your hearing.

Following these steps can help you ensure a more positive outcome in your DUI case. But what if you’ve already been convicted? Having a DUI attorney can still help you out; they know the laws in and out and can make sure your case is handled fairly and carefully.

After those immediate steps, you will also most likely need to:

1. Install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) if required by the court
2. Obtain SR-22 insurance
3. Enroll in an alcohol education program

The important thing to remember is to follow the instructions you receive from your attorney and the court officials. Completing the steps you’re given in court and following the advice of your attorney can help you avoid the worst-case scenarios.

Legal Obligations: The Legal Requirements You Must Fulfill

California cracks down on DUI cases, requiring convicted drivers to fulfill a number of obligations before being allowed back on the road.¹

First, your driving privilege will get suspended or revoked by the DMV. You must then:

• File SR22/SR1P
• Complete a DUI program
• Pay any license restriction or reissuing fees
• Potentially install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) in your car

Other fines and fees may exist on top of that, and you could even be sentenced to up to 6 months in jail. If your car is impounded as a result of the DUI, you’ll also have to pay storage fees.

Generally speaking, it helps to have an attorney on your side while handling this process. They’ll know what you need to fill out, the due dates of all important paperwork, and whether or not there are any faster paths to getting your driving privileges reinstated.

Interlock Device Installation

An Ignition Interlock Device in California prevents you from starting your car without first blowing into the device to check your blood for alcohol. This device acts as a breathalyzer, detecting any alcohol in your system. If you try to start the car with alcohol present, the IID will prevent your car from starting.

In California, a pilot program is currently underway requiring IIDs for all repeat cases of individuals who injure someone else while driving under the influence.² These individuals must keep an IID installed for a period of one to four years, depending on several factors like the number of previous convictions.

Installing an IID in your car can feel like another headache in the whirlwind of DUI requirements—but it doesn’t have to. You may also have a number of questions, like:

• How long will the IID be there?
• How much does it cost?
• How do you maintain and calibrate it?
• How exactly do IIDs work?

Smart Start can help you make the process a breeze, answering all of these questions and more. While you have to pay for IIDs and maintain them on your own time and dime, we can help you get through installation and maintenance seamlessly so you can get back to driving on your terms.

Personal Consequences: The Impacts of DUIs On Your Life

How long does a DUI stay on record in California? It depends, however, DUI convictions have both short- and long-term impacts on your life.³ Though it’s impossible to completely dodge every mark a DUI may leave, you can still reduce its footprint by knowing how to handle the aftermath of your conviction.

#1 Economic

Having a DUI on record can upset the financial stability of your life—in ways you may not have even realized. Consider:

• Employment – It’s not uncommon for employers to let go of employees with a DUI on record, especially if your job involves driving. Having a DUI means you have a criminal record, too. This severely impacts your ability to job hunt in the future, as employers will likely run a background check and see that you have a conviction.
• Professional driver’s licenses – It’s often more difficult to get licenses in real estate, legal work, or the finance sector with a criminal record.
• Educational aid – DUI convictions can also cause you to be overlooked for scholarships and financial aid that might have otherwise made higher education an easier possibility for you.
• Housing – As mentioned, your DUI will pop up in background checks, showing that you have a criminal record. Landlords will often check records because they prize tenants with decent credit, good payment history, and clean records, which may lead to your application getting denied.
• Fines and fees – Hiring a lawyer, going to court, and paying off any court-ordered fees and fines can cost a pretty penny. Not to mention the cost of an IID or the increase in your insurance premium, which can last the entire ten years your DUI is on record.

#2 Social

Most people don’t consider the social ramifications of a DUI, but they’re just as prevalent as economic impacts in some ways:

• Vacationing and travel – Some countries, such as Canada, do not allow entry to anyone with a DUI on record. If you have a probationary period, you also won’t be able to leave without getting the go-ahead from your probation officer.
• Social stigma – Many people convicted of a DUI report dealing with humiliation, shame, and ostracization for their actions. This can damage friendships, upset family dynamics, or strain partnerships.
• Family issues – If you ever have to deal with a divorce, a child custody battle, or even wanting to adopt a child, your DUI conviction could be used against you in court.

#3 Criminal

Is a DUI Considered a Felony in California? It depends. However, you may also face civil lawsuits on top of everything else if your DUI-related incident involved bodily injury or property damage. This can lead to:

• Financial implications if victims seek compensation for loss of income, suffering, and medical expenses
• Longer court cases, which require more expensive legal services
• A higher risk of jail time and worse implications for your criminal record

Some of these issues are fairly quick to resolve, while others might follow you for decades or even a lifetime. It’s yet another reason why it’s important to know what to do after getting a DUI in California.

Rehabilitation and Counseling: Understanding the Importance of Support

Stress is a huge factor that impacts your mental and emotional health after facing a DUI conviction.⁴ Every part of a DUI can cause stress, from hiring a DUI lawyer to handling the social stigma of a felony DUI.

Stress manifests in physical and mental ways, and can include:

• High blood pressure
• Headaches or migraines
• Changes in weight and the metabolic system
• Depression or anxiety
• Increased use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol

It’s important to manage stress during this time not only for your mental health and well-being, but for your physical health, too.

Substance use disorder rehabilitation programs can help you get back on your feet if addiction led to your DUI arrest. Peer support groups can also help you through this difficult time, providing you with a community to rely on, commiserate with, and gain resources from.

Counseling may also help. You can expand your toolbox for ways to deal with addictions. It can aid in the management of your anxiety as well, reducing its overall impact on your life.

For Seamless IID Installation, Choose Smart Start

If you don’t know what to do after getting a DUI in California, this can be a confusing time. Fortunately, you can build your life back up even in the face of this challenge, and it might not take as long as you think.

We at Smart Start understand that this is a difficult time for you, and that all you want is to regain balance in your life as you move forward. Though the road to normalcy may be long and bumpy, we’re here to help smooth it out.

We make Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installation and maintenance as simple as possible. With fewer things to worry about, you can focus on what’s really important, like attending your DUI classes and reducing any chance of reoffending in the future.

Don’t let this one-time stumble define the rest of your life. Contact Smart Start to discuss IID options and get started on the road to better days today.

Sources:

1. State of California DMV. California Driver’s Handbook. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/alcohol-and-drugs/
2. State of California DMV. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/dmv-safety-guidelines-actions/driving-under-the-influence/statewide-ignition-interlock-device-pilot-program/
3. AA Meeting Resources. 7 Stressful Ways a DUI Impacted My Life. https://alcoholicsanonymous.com/7-stressful-ways-a-dui-impacted-my-life/
4. Sunshine Behavioral Health. How to Cope With DUI Stress. https://sunshinebehavioralhealth.com/resources/coping-with-dui-stress/