IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “Drivers must understand that drink driving wrecks lives in all sorts of unexpected ways. For some it’s having to live with the guilt of causing a totally avoidable death or injury but for most it’s the economic impact that comes with a criminal record and a driving ban.”
“A prosecution can cut off access to certain jobs and limit your chances of promotion. The total cost of losing a job, car and increased insurance can be as much as £50,000.”
Millions of people risk losing their job or face difficulty getting work if they drink and drive this Christmas, the Government’s latest THINK! drink drive campaign has revealed.
The campaign highlights the snowball effect a drink drive conviction can have on future job prospects.
Up to one million people work in jobs they could lose as a result of a drink-drive conviction, while a survey has shown that almost a third (27%) of people would have to give up their job because they rely on a car to get to work.
People who drive as part of their job are particularly vulnerable but someone with a conviction could also be denied access to millions more jobs which are eligible for criminal records checks. These jobs include professional driving jobs, teachers, care workers and jobs in banks and finance.
Any employer can ask to see unspent criminal convictions and research shows that three-quarters of employers admit to taking a criminal conviction into account during the recruitment process.
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