For a first offense in Georgia, you may lose your license for as long as a year. Can you keep your job with no way to get there in the morning? Can you keep going to school? Can you even keep shopping for groceries and doing the other basic things you take for granted?
If you’re worried, one thing you should know is that there are legal ways to get a license back early. For instance, after the first 30 days have gone by, you can ask for a temporary license. This will let you drive until your real license is given back.
The catch, though, is that you need to have an ignition interlock device (IID) installed on the vehicle. This device measures your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) every time you start the car.
Remember, the reason that your license is being suspended is so that you won’t drink and drive. The authorities aren’t trying to keep you from working or returning to a normal life. If you can still prove, with the IID, that you’ll stay sober behind the wheel, then you may not have to wait the full year to get back in and drive.
As you can see, it really pays to know all of the legal tools you have when facing DUI charges. Be sure you know your defense options long before you get to court.