How a DWI Class Can Change Someone's Life

Did you recently get a DUI or DWI? If so, you're probably facing a wide range of penalties. You could lose your license, perform community service, or even spend time in jail. A DWI can impact your life in several ways beyond even the sentence. You could lose your job. Your car insurance may be higher. You could face civil litigation if you caused damage while driving. One possible path forward is attending a drug offender education program known as a DOEP class. According to Absolute Advocacy, these classes are meant to help drug and alcohol offenders better understand how their actions affect others and how future offenses could have serious consequences. Below are a few ways the DOEP class could change your life.

Reduce Your Sentence

The most immediate benefit of a DOEP class is that it can be used to reduce your overall sentence. For many first-time offenders, a judge will allow a DOEP class instead of jail time. If you successfully complete the class, which is sometimes completed over several days, you can avoid jail time. Completion of the course may also help you reduce your car insurance payments and it could even lead to a conviction being expunged in the future. A DOEP class can reduce the severity of your sentence.

rovide an Understanding of Consequences

One common element in many DOEP classes is a visit from someone who lost a loved one due to a person's drunk driving. Often these are mothers who lost a child. Sometimes the vis from someone who was severely injured in a drunk driving accident. These sessions are usually very powerful and emotional. They help you gain a better understanding of just how much your actions could hurt someone else. It could make you think twice about driving drunk in the future.

Help Inform Future Decision Making

Another common component of DOEP class is a visit from a judge, a prosecutor, or someone who has had multiple DWI convictions. They share with you the consequences of a second, third, or even fourth DWI arrest. As you likely know, the penalties increase in severity with each subsequent conviction. If you have multiple arrests, you could actually face prison time. Again, this may make you think twice about drunk driving in the future.

If you're facing a DWI charge, make sure your attorney pushes for DOEP class. It could reduce your sentence and permanently change the way you think about alcohol in the future.