|
dlw_15370
|
 |
« on: May 14, 2007, 06:31:12 PM » |
|
Here is part of an article I received today. Drunk Drivers--BEWARE!!!
The cost of a DUI can put a person in financial ruins. Please read on--
Auto Insurance:
What a DUI Will Do to Your Car Insurance Rates
As if the cost of a life and emotional devastati on isn’t enough to serve as a deterrent for not drinking and driving, few drivers realize the financial impact they will endure if convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (often referred to as a “DUI”). Unfortuna tely, even the most “regular” people continue to take the calculate d risk of driving after a few drinks with delusions of sobriety. If you’re a driver who tends to gamble in this situation, are you prepared to cough-up $10,828 in total costs?
First time DUI offender? Expect your car insurance rates to range between $3,600 and $6,600 a year.
Impacts to Car Insurance
All emotions aside: a DUI dramatica lly increases the degree of risk an insurance company assumes in order to underwrit e your car insurance policy. After a DUI, you will be categoriz ed as a high risk driver and can expect your current premiums to double—if your carrier doesn’t just simply non-renew your policy.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) reports that the average first time DUI offender can expect his/her car insurance rates to range between $3,600 and $6,600 a year. Depending on how long a DUI remains on your state’s driving record, these rates are known to continue for up to 7 years. Furthermo re, any additiona l accidents and tickets (past or future) can easily make the situation exponenti ally more difficult—tripled insurance costs!
Other DUI Mandatory Costs
Unless you live in a major city, there really is no substitut e to driving. From the perspecti ve of life’s real world prioritie s, being able to drive ranks just below air, water, food, and shelter. Salvaging this privilege after a DUI though involves more than just expensive car insurance rates. Depending on the state you live in, additiona l costs can include*:
• Towing: $300 - $1,200
• Bail: $250 - $2,500
• Fines and Court Fees : $500 - $2,500
• Attorney Fees (average): $2,500
• Mandatory Education and Treatment: $350 - $2,000
• Electroni c Home Monitorin g: $150 - $2,250
• Ignition Lock: $730 - $2,800
What the above estimates fail to account for are the daylight hours it takes to satisfy all the correspon ding obligatio ns. Time spent in court, at classes and treatment, restituti on services, and even jail time can turn a person’s world upside-down. Interesti ngly, states like Washingto n make matters more complicat ed by automatic ally suspendin g driving privilege s for 90 days upon the first offence. Think of how you would even get to court? Furthermo re, since a DUI is criminal offence, your driving record will be complemen ted by a criminal record. If your vocation values the integrity of such a mark (medical, transport ation, finance, etc.) finding a new job can become as complicat ed as finding affordabl e car insurance .
Moving On After a DUI
Although a DUI is a mistake that ravishes a person’s finances, it is possible to bounce back after a convictio n. Every day that passes after your DUI convictio n can lower your rates, because older charges have less of an impact on your risk profile, especiall y if you were a teenager or young adult at the time of your convictio n. More so than any other driver, you should shop around for lower rates. Although you won’t have as many options, don’t fall into the trap of signing on with the first company that approves your applicati on. Conduct research, compare quotes, and make a careful decision. In the meantime, take a conservat ive approach to driving and don’t get any tickets or become involved in accidents .
Unfortuna tely, organizat ions like MADD exist because people continue to take the risk of driving under the influence . Nearly 17,000 people died in DUI related car accidents in 2005 alone. If this doesn’t deter you, then maybe the $10,828 total out-of-pocket expenses for a first-time offender will?
* Source: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
|
