Suffering From Grief? Find Help and Guidance Here

Getting charged and convicted of operating while impaired can result in imprisonment, fines, court costs, the loss of driving privileges, and court-ordered programs, depending on the blood alcohol level and the circumstances of the case. Some of the court-ordered programs include mandatory classes and counseling. Of course, you'll definitely want to do these mandated programs because you're court-ordered to do so and for several other reasons. 

You'll Learn Valuable Information

During the mandatory operating while impaired classes, you'll learn valuable information that can help reduce your risk of recidivation or repeating the offenses. In the classes, you will learn things like:

• the effects blood alcohol has on driving
• repercussions of driving while impaired
• the effects of alcohol on the brain, organs, and nervous system
• how alcohol interacts with medications
• how to prevent relapsing
• where to find help with alcoholism

These and other topics that will be covered in the classes will be valuable to you in several ways. First, they'll help lower your risk of repeating the offenses and getting charged with a second offense, which typically brings on longer imprisonment and higher fines and court costs. Secondly, fulfilling your requirements of taking these classes will help lower your car insurance premiums should you retain your driving privileges through the interlock ignition program or allow you to reinstate your driver's license in the future. 

You May Gain Some Insight Into Yourself

Attending classes and going through counseling may help you gain some insight as to why and how you chose to drive while impaired. The best way to change behavior is to understand why choices are made to do certain things. Classes and counseling sessions may help you develop other ways to handle situations as well as how to cope with stressful instances so you don't relapse into drinking again and be susceptible to making poor decisions. 

As was stated above, the operating while intoxicated classes will give you a list of resources that you can contact for help. Often, attendees of these classes are given a packet with this information in it. However, just in case they don't, be sure to take a notebook and pen with you to the class when you attend so you can take notes. 

Upon completion of your mandatory classes and counseling, you'll want to contact your probation officer or your lawyer to inform them that you've completed the requirements as ordered.  

For more information, contact a local company that offers operating while impaired courses.