According to a report by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the cost of a first time DUI conviction can cost over $15,000, which represents an increase of 29% from 2011. For a person under the age of 21, the cost is estimated to be over $22,000. The figures were arrived at by totalling mandated fines, penalties, legal fees, restitution costs and increased insurance costs. The figures did not include the cost of taking time of work to attend court, time lost at work as a result of a jail sentence, or the cost of bail.
These figures seem inflated, but they do stress the need to avoid a conviction for a DUI. An average fine for a first time DUI in Los Angeles is approximately $2,000 (including mandatory fees and penalty assessments). The cost of an alcohol education program varies from $500 to $1,000. The cost of a good lawyer varies from $2,500 to $10,000. The cost of insurance rate increases varies from person to person and between insurance companies, but rate increases can be substantial.
The simple answer is to refrain from drinking alcohol and driving. Even a $500 taxi cab ride is less expensive than being arrested for a DUI. However, many otherwise law abiding citizens are arrested and prosecuted for DUI every day. If you are facing a DUI in Los Angeles, please call us. Drunk Driving Defense Lawyers Jeffrey Gold and Nigel Witham have been defending DUI cases in Los Angeles and Orange County for over 35 years combined.