Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Don't Miss More Work! Take Your DUI Class Online Today

It is up to all of us to prevent drunk driving. No matter who you are, if you have a license, you can help others by staying sober and offering to drive or by relinquishing control to another sober person if you have been drinking. According to drinkinganddriving.org, 90% of all drunk driving happens after drinking with family, friends and co-workers. Most of us have a drink or two and think that we are still safe to get behind the wheel. This is inaccurate. It doesn’t take much to get our BAC levels above .08%, so instead of chancing it with the law and the safety of others, either plan ahead to have a sober driver or get a taxi.

Taking this action can not only save a life, but spare you the harsh reality of receiving a DUI violation. The law does not tread lightly on this offense. An average DUI that doesn’t cause any damage or injure anyone is expensive. In California it looks like this:

1) Fines – expect to pay somewhere between $390 and $1,200. This is up to your judge based on the severity of the circumstances.

2) Attorneys Fees – lawyer costs will range from $500.00 - $10,000. A good, high profile DUI attorney will charge on the higher end.

3) Insurance Rates – a DUI offense will also increase the amount you pay for car insurance. Expect an increase that lands you between $3,600 and $6,600 for at least 3 years.

4) Standard Costs – there are also additional charges based on the state you are caught in. They include penalty assessments, state restitution fund, alcohol-abuse education funds, license reissue fees, towing and storage, etc. All of these additional fees generally add up to another $1,500 - $2,000.

So, you are looking at costs adding up to between $6,000 and $19,500 depending on the city and state. At this point, your life has been sent into turmoil because you’ve had to meet with attorneys, attend court dates, and possible community service work. And, with all these costs, you can’t afford to miss another day of work to attend the DUI/alcohol and drug awareness classes that the court has mandated.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! One solution is to take your DUI class on your computer instead of missing more work to attend a pre-determined traditional classroom schedule. Online classes are easy to use and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Simply ask your judge for approval to fulfill your alcohol and drug education classes online. Then you simply register for the length of class the court has ordered and you are on your way. Topic and chapter divide the programs, with a final exam at the end of the course.

When you have successfully finished the course, a Certificate of Completion is sent out to you. This is the official documentation that the court needs to see that proves you took the appropriate class. Taking an online DUI class is definitely the most convenient, educational and low-stress way of handling your court mandated alcohol and drug education.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The Top Reasons Why You Will Love An Online DUI Class!

In an attempt to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road, most jurisdictions will mandate that a DUI offender take an alcohol and drug education class as part of their retribution.

These classes provide participants an opportunity to address problems that they have in their lives with drug and alcohol abuse. They are also designed to enable participants to learn and understand new ways to change their behavior. The end goal is to encourage positive lifestyle changes so the offender does not repeat the behavior.

Online DUI classes have increasingly become a popular way to fulfill court mandates for alcohol and drug education related to a DUI violation. Thousands of individuals have successfully taken these classes because they offer the following list of benefits:

1) Instant access.

Once you enroll, the class becomes immediately available on the screen in front of you from any Internet connected computer device.

2) Availability.

Online classes can be sourced from a WIFI hotspot in the U.S. This is extremely helpful for people who travel for a living, or have moved to a different state than the offense was cited in. For example, if the offense happened in Nebraska, but you now live in Florida, judges will often understand that it’s impossible to get back to take a class and will let you take them online.

3) Self-paced.

Clients can login and out of the online course as many times as they would like. There is no predetermined schedule to follow. The class is taken at your own pace and is available to you at any time of the day or night.

4) Nothing to print out or download.

There are no books or pages to print out. All the material is on the computer. Clients therefore do not need access to a printer and do not need to be sitting at a desk.

5) 100% Guarantee.

Look for an online DUI class that offers a 100% guarantee. This means that if the class is not accepted by your court system, you can get a full refund with written proof of denial within 60 days.

6) Proof of enrollment and Certificate of Completion.

A high quality online class will provide you with information that you can show your probation officer or judge to prove you have enrolled in the class. Clients receive a free Certificate of Completion when the class is successfully finished. This is the documentation that is shown to the court system to prove the mandate was fulfilled.

7) Easy to use.

Online classes have become increasingly popular because people today are often very comfortable on a computer. Classes are designed to be simple for those who have little to no experience with a computer. Directions are clear and clients simply scroll through the pages to learn the material.

8) Interesting and informative.

Be discriminating. Look for a class that is designed by a currently licensed and practicing psychotherapist to insure that you will learn the most up-to-date information and skills in the world of alcohol and drug education. Testimonials agree that participants are pleased with the course content.

If you have received a DUI, check with your court system today to find out if they will accept an online DUI to fulfill your court requirements. This is the most relaxed, convenient and educational way to put this mistake behind you.

Monday, February 4, 2013

DUI Classes Online Help Those Arrested For Driving Under the Influence

Every week we read about high profile DUI arrests and convictions. Whether it is Lindsay Lohan, Randy Travis or one of the many athletes pulled over for drunk driving, their behavior keeps the conversation going across the nation. The bottom line is that no one should get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking alcohol. There are 3 main reasons that an individual might be arrested for DUI. They include:

1) First hand observation by a police officer.

This is the most common way of getting a DUI citation. A police officer will witness the symptoms of drunk driving like swerving, driving too fast or too slow, or causing an accident. Or, the officer has seen an actual traffic violation like going through a red light. The driver will be pulled over and given a field sobriety test or a breath test to determine BAC.

2) A probable cause.

If an officer believes that facts or circumstances surrounding a situation will lead an individual to commit the crime, the officer can place the individual under arrest. This is when there is reasonable belief like the police officer has observed someone stumbling out of a bar and getting behind the wheel, or if someone who smells of alcohol, refuses a breath test. The officer can arrest based on probable cause.

3) DUI arrest warrant.

A judge can issue a warrant if a police officer gives a sworn statement with reasons for the arrest. This gives the officer the permission to go out and arrest the person named in the warrant.

Once you are arrested for DUI in one of these ways, you will usually be taken to the local police station for booking. In some cases, the individual will have to wait in jail, his car will be impounded, and a lawyer will need to be hired. A court hearing will be set for another date. If convicted, a first-time offender generally has to pay fines, have his license revoked for a period of time, do community service work and take a DUI education class. In some states, an ignition interlock device will be installed into the offender’s car for a designated period of time. This individual will have to breathe into this device to determine his BAC level every time he/she wants to start the car.

In the best case scenario, no one else has been hurt and the offender can reflect and perform restitution for the behavior by taking a high quality alcohol awareness class. The judge’s goal in assigning these classes is to help reform the offender so he doesn’t repeat the behavior.

Online DUI classes are a reliable, affordable and relevant way to fulfill this court requirement. Check with your judge or court system to see if they will accept distance-learning classes instead of having to attend an in-person classroom. This will enable you the convenience of taking the class from your own home. Don’t just look for the cheapest class, but one that is designed and managed by a licensed and practicing therapist and specialist in the field of alcohol and drug awareness. This will insure that you’re getting a current and effective education. And, it may help sway the court to allow you to take the course online. Taking an online class is one way of making your life a little easier during this stressful time.