Being convicted of a DUI can be devastating. Not only will you face harsh legal repercussions for your actions, but being caught driving drunk is also embarrassing and can lead to ostracization from family and friends. Saying that a DUI conviction is troublesome is an understatement, but it isn’t the end of the world. You can put your life back together after your conviction; it just takes a little bit of time and effort on your part. Here are nine things you can do that will help.
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1. Accept Responsibility for Your Actions
Nobody likes to admit that they screwed up. On some level, we are all proud creatures who like to think that we can do no wrong. If something goes wrong in our lives, one of the first things we like to do is place the blame on someone or something else even when there’s no logical reason for it. If you get caught driving drunk, there’s nobody to blame but yourself. You made the decision to drink, and you made the decision to get behind the wheel of a car. Owning up to that fact is the first step in getting past this unfortunate event. It will allow you to accept that you have a problem and give others the opportunity to forgive you and for you to forgive yourself.
2. Get a Lawyer
If you’re being charged with a DUI, you will be facing some harsh penalties. Even when all the evidence is against you, you should still find a lawyer to represent you in court or even just to give you some legal advice. If a lawyer cannot help lessen the consequences of the conviction, they can at least tell you what you can expect.
3. Speak to Your Family and Friends
Being arrested for a DUI could affect your family and closest friends as much as it affects you. A DUI conviction will change your life. You will most likely undergo alcohol dependence treatment and other counseling, which means no more going out to bars with your friends. It will also mean confronting your family about any harm your behavior may have done. They will hopefully be willing to help you get your life back together, but only if you reach out to them and say that you’re willing to change.
4. Find a Support Group
Most people who have been arrested for a DUI have some kind of substance abuse problem. Even if you haven’t had problems in the past, you at the very least have shown poor judgment. Seek help from a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous. Not only will this ease some of your guilt and embarrassment, but members of the group can give you good advice on getting your life back together.
5. Complete Mandated Programs
DUI convictions often require the defendant to attend programs related to the case. You should never blow these commitments off because that’s what they are: commitments. Not participating in these programs could lead to additional legal penalties.
6. Get SR22 Proof of Car Insurance
SR22 car insurance is often required for high-risk drivers, including those who have been convicted of a DUI. Without this insurance, you won’t be able to drive since the state will have suspended your license. Talk to your auto insurance company about filing for SR22 insurance.
7. Give Back to Your Community
This isn’t technically advice on getting your life back together after a DUI; it’s something that can apply to anyone in any situation. Helping others and giving back to your community can be very rewarding, and it can help you to get to a place where you can forgive yourself and show others that you really are turning your life around.
8. Never Assume You’re “Okay to Drive”
Many DUI arrests happen because people underestimate the effect of what they had to drink on their ability to drive. Alcohol impairs judgment, and the last thing you need is to get caught driving drunk after you’ve already been convicted once. Always remember that it can happen again, especially if you tell yourself that you’re “okay to drive” after just a few drinks.
9. Don’t Be Afraid to Find Another Ride Home
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Hopefully, getting arrested for a DUI will have opened your eyes a bit and let you see how easy it is to lose control of your drinking. If you even think you might end up in a situation where you’ll be too impaired to drive home, arrange for other transportation. Get a ride from a friend, arrange for a taxi to pick you up or just make arrangements to go somewhere where you can sober up before driving. Make these plans ahead of time while you’re still sober and clear-headed.
