Today, we're diving into why fighting a DUI, from a financial standpoint, is always a good idea. For the sake of argument, we'll create an "average situation" for an American worker who has had their driver's license suspended for six months for a first-time DUI violation.
This person:
- Has an average daily commute of 18 miles each way
- Gets groceries once every two weeks
- Works at a 9-5 job every weekday
So the question is: if they didn't have a car (or a friend to give them rides), how much would it cost to just Uber everything and get groceries delivered?
The Cost of Commuting
With an 18-mile commute, we're looking at 36 miles total driven per day, 5 days a week. With average Uber prices at .90 a mile, that's around $32 per day, or $160 a week. With a six-month license suspension, our Average American Worker will need a ride to work for roughly 26 weeks (if he or she is not taking a vacation).
Half a year of Ubering would come out to $4,160—and that's just to get to work. That doesn't include running errands, going out, spending time with friends, getting to appointments, or anything else that a car requires.
But now, let's take a look at another vital need: groceries.
The Cost of Delivery
Delivery has made this decade one of the most convenient periods for non-drivers. For people who are convicted of a DUI, services like Postmates or similar delivery apps make the world a little easier to navigate…but it doesn't make it cheaper. Far from it.
Let's say that our Worker spends $200 on groceries every month, or $100 every two weeks. In a six-month period, that's 13 deliveries for $1,300. However! Services like Postmates often exact a high tax, tip, and delivery fee for their services. At the very least, people who use a delivery service can expect to pay at least $4.99 per delivery. That's an additional $65.
So now, the cost of not having a car includes:
- $4,160 to get to work
- $1,300 for groceries
- $65 to get those groceries delivered
That's a six-month total of $5,525! Keep in mind that these are for a person's bare minimum needs. Anyone could expect to spend on far more than just the commute or groceries. If you're tempted to give up on your case or skip hiring a lawyer, consider that the cost of not having one is far greater than the cost of hiring one.
Sometimes you can't outsmart the system—you just have to beat it. That's what lawyers are for.