Shane Eason is a faculty member of FAU’s School of Communication. He is available to discuss the dangers of driving under the influence to youth groups and schools in the South Florida region.

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The legal consequences of a DUI conviction are very well known.

The possibility of jail time, fines, suspension of driving privileges, alcohol treatment program, etc., should be enough to deter a person from making the same mistake I made by drinking then driving. However, if you need reassurance, or another reason not to drink and drive, consider this: A driving-under-the-influence conviction will become a perpetual financial burden.

Unless you have been convicted of a DUI, you don’t realize or comprehend the immense costs in time and money. A person may begin an evening with $5 drinks at a local pub and then end the night with an undetermined amount of money to be paid out of pocket for a DUI. Therefore, the average DUI for a typical first time offender in Florida will cost about $10,000. For a multiple DUI offender, your costs will be almost double, around $20,000. And for someone that is DUI and involved in an accident with property damage or an accident where someone is injured or killed, at least $30,000, whether your at fault or not.

Costs are usually deflected to a number of sanctions and fines placed by the court. Many of the penalties are intended to discourage potential offenders. Here is how some of the costs break down for most DUI offenders in Florida:

Fines/Fees $500-$2000

Fines and court fees for DUI range from state to state, but in Florida it can be $500-$2000. Every few years the fines increase and are determined through a drivers’ past DUI’s and blood alcohol content. Towing $100-unlimited

When you’re arrested, your car gets towed. In some places, retrieving it costs only $100 after holding it for 24 hours. However, if the vehicle sits in the tow yard for a long period of time, the costs will rise around $25/day. After 30-60 days the car will be auctioned off and the driver will be responsible for the daily holding fee.

Insurance $1000-unlimited/renewal

If you receive a DUI conviction, it will affect your insurance rates for 3-5 years. In fact, some companies may drop your coverage entirely and list you as a high risk driver.

Bail $500-$15,000

If arrested, a driver must post bail or bond. In Florida, when a DUI is assumed on a driver, he/she must post a nonrefundable $500 bond. If there is an injury or death as a result of an accident, the bond will be at least $10,000.

DUI School $150-$250

The cost of DUI School is determined by a persons blood alcohol level and the number of past DUI’s.

Alcohol Eval. $150-250

Again, the cost is determined by BAC and the number of DUI’s.

Interlock $500/vehicle

The interlock device will run close to $500 for each vehicle that a driver has access to, and must remain on a vehicle for about a year. Legal Fees $1500-unlimted

Attorneys might charge as little as $1500 to enter a quick plea. But with so much at stake, many people accused of DUI fight the charge tooth and nail. That’s when things start to add up.

As the details suggest above, the costs of a DUI conviction are sky reaching. It is something that I do not want to go through again. It was an error in judgment, that regretfully I made; many hardships and lessons have ensued.

Do not make the same mistake as I did. Remember that the costs involved are only one thing. If a injury or death occur, that’s another, and I now live with this outcome every day.

This column will continue monthly throughout 2008. Shane Eason is available to discuss the dangers of driving under the influence to youth groups and schools in the South Florida region.

This column will continue monthly online throughout 2008. To find last month’s column and all other past columns log on to upressonline.com.