What Is the Average Cost of a DUI in Illinois?

 Posted on June 15, 2016 in DUI

Drinking and driving, or driving under the influence of drugs, is never a good idea. In addition to the raised likelihood of crashing your vehicle, causing harm to yourself and others, and being arrested, a DUI conviction can be extremely costly. With legal fees, jail time, raised insurance rates, and other factors, even a first time DUI in Illinois can cost well upwards of $10,000. It is important to understand some of the typical costs associated with a DUI conviction.

Auto Insurance

Once you are convicted of a DUI in Illinois, you will be required to obtain high-risk auto insurance. This type of insurance is significantly more costly than typical car insurance, and can cost an additional $1,500 each year. This high-risk insurance is required for three years, so that is a total of $4,500.

Legal Fees

Criminal defense attorneys are often quite costly. A lengthy court process could cost upwards of $10,000 in legal fees, but even an uncontested plea can cost around $2,000.

Court Costs

In addition to hiring an attorney, those convicted of a DUI also face court costs which average out to $3,600. This includes fines of up to $2,500 for first time offenders, $750 in court fees, $250 in towing and law enforcement reimbursements, and $100 to a trauma center fund.

Potential Income Loss

Any serious criminal conviction can put your income in jeopardy. A DUI conviction may lead to jail time or community service hours that take away from hours you could be spending at work. For those with an income of $55,000 annually, a DUI could cost around $4,000 in lost wages. Additionally, being charged with a DUI could put you at risk of losing your job, and could harm your chances of future employment.

Rehabilitation

On top of fines, jail time, and community service, those convicted of a DUI will be required to take a DUI course. These types of classes typically cost around $50, with counseling fees an additional $200. In total, expect to pay around $250 in rehabilitation fees.

Driver's License Reinstatement

The hearing alone to get a new license post a DUI conviction costs $50. Getting your license reinstated costs an average of $500, and a new license itself costs $30. In total, it costs $580 to get your license back.

BAIID

BAIID is Illinois' ignition interlock program. An ignition interlock device is commonly installed in the vehicle of a DUI offender, and requires a breathalyzer test before the allowing the vehicle to start. Any amount of blood alcohol content higher than 0 will prevent a driver from operating their vehicle. This technology is costly for those convicted of a DUI. BAIID costs $100 simply to install, plus $80 per month to maintain. Additionally, there is a monitoring fee of $30 per month, bringing the grand total to $1,420 for each year of BAIDD required.

A DUI Attorney Can Help

Once all of the costs are factored in, even a first time DUI conviction costs an average of $16,580 in Illinois. If you are facing DUI charges in Illinois, you need the help of a qualified Will County criminal defense attorney with experience handling DUI cases. There are multiple legal methods we can pursue to either have your charges dropped, case dismissed, or to lessen your punishment. Schedule a free initial consultation by calling 815-666-1285 or 815-733-5350 today and learn more about your options.

Sources:

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a118.pdf