Incarceration is not the only thing to fear upon a DUI conviction. A DUI conviction can restrict your life in various other ways. Below are some of the common forms of restrictions judges hand to DUI convicts.

1. House Arrest

A house arrest restricts your presence to your residence. You won't be able to leave your home if you are under house arrest. The court may only allow you to leave home in a few exceptional cases. For example, the terms of your house arrest may allow you to leave home for work — but nowhere else. Such a restriction means you have to furnish the court with specific times for reporting to and signing off work. Any other time you have to spend in your home.

2. SCRAM Monitoring

Secure continuous remote alcohol monitoring (SCRAM) is a device that reads and reports your blood alcohol content (BAC) to the authorities. The device comes in the form of an ankle bracelet. The judge might order you to wear a SCRAM bracelet if they have ordered you to avoid alcohol for some time. The SCRAM bracelet is usually a condition of pretrial release or probation.

3. Driving License Suspension

A driving license suspension is inevitable after a DUI conviction. Only the suspension duration differs — it can range anywhere from a few months to a year for a first conviction. In some cases, the court might even suspend your driving license before your conviction. The risk of a pretrial suspension is higher if your BAC is relatively high.

Again, the state might allow you to drive in a few exceptional cases. For example, the court may grant you a hardship license to drive the kids to school, drive to work, or drive to your medical appointments. The hardship license typically comes after a short period of mandatory license suspension.

4. Ignition Interlock Devices

The ignition interlock device (IID) monitors your BAC. The IID fits into your car ignition system. The IID has a mouthpiece that you must breathe into before the car's engine can start. The car's engine only ignites if the IID detects no alcohol in your breath. In many cases, courts order IID in addition to other restrictions or penalties, such as probation.

As you can see, a DUI conviction can seriously affect your daily life. For more information on how to handle your case, reach out to a DUI attorney.