DUI School: Requirements and Costs

Upon being convicted for DUI, the court mandates the convict to attend an Alcohol Education Program. This program is commonly called DUI school. There are many myths that surround attending of this program. Some people believe that if a convict attends this program, the charges are reduced greatly. This is false, because it constitutes a very small part of the total sentence. Even in case of first offense, the license remains suspended or the convict has to spend some time in the jail, along with attending the Alcohol Education Program or AEP.

Costs

Another myth is that DUI school is free. As a matter of fact, the total package costs more than $1,000, varying from one state to another. This is inclusive of the court fees that you also need to pay. Though the program fee does not cost more than $500, the time lost for attending the program and other court procedures accumulates to the loss of a huge amount.

After bearing this Immense cost, there remains another expense of reinstating your driver's license, which is also quite hefty. When taken together, this program proves to be quite expensive, contrary to the popular belief. One disadvantage of this program is that there is lack of transparency about your getting passed or failed, because it is ultimately the say of the instructor to certify that you completed the course successfully or not. Without the certificate, the completed course would be comparable to not attending the program.

Alcohol Education Program Details

Time taken to complete the course also differs in every state. It also depends upon the nature of DUI charge. Some courses are completed in only few classes, while some may take many weekends. However, these classes are usually held either in evenings or on weekends to make it convenient for anybody to attend. Generally, these courses do not take more than 45 hours, but with added therapies and treatments, they can often stretch for a whole year. For enrollment, different programs and schedules, you can call the American Council of Alcoholism. Some states like Florida and Nevada offer the provision of registration and attending AEP online. But until now, not all states have approved online attendance. The court or your local DMV can recommend a traffic or DUI school for you. Or you can also search online directories for government registered schools.

The Alcohol Education Program consists of an assessment made on the pattern of a convicted driver and the measures taken to rectify it if required. If assessment proves that the individual is an alcohol addict, then counseling and further treatment is recommended for him or her. DUI school is not the only resort for all predicaments that come with a DUI conviction, but in spite of all the cost, it gives the defaulter drivers a chance to recover, so that they don’t commit the same offense again. As they keep on repeating the offense, the penalties would keep on increasing as well. With counseling, there are better chances for you to control your drinking pattern and eventually you may never make the same mistake.

State-Specific DUI School Information:

California DUI School

Florida DUI School

Georgia DUI School