Alcohol is a factor in about a third of all deaths on U.S. roads. That means that it is responsible for nearly eleven thousand deaths every year. If the thirty percent chance of dying in an accident does not dissuade you from drinking and driving, maybe the knowledge that a DUI is an extremely expensive offense will. What exactly does a DUI cost?
According to recent studies surrounding DUIs in the United States, the average DUI costs more than $10,000, including posting bail and paying fines, fees, and insurance. And that is only if you do not actually get into an accident. If you do get to an accident, the costs are astronomical.
A DUI on your record means that you are going to have to pay higher insurance premiums for at least the next three years, and that’s if your insurance provider does not drop you, as many are prone to do in this sort of situation. You will have proven yourself to be a high risk driver, and no insurance company wants to take the chance of having to pay out a huge about of cash to cover someone who has totaled their car and possibly harmed another person because they were driving drunk.
If this is your second or third offense, depending on what state you are in at the time the DUI is issued, your costs will also be much higher, both monetary and beyond. Bail will likely be more expensive, your insurance rates will jump again, and your fees and fines are also going to rise. In addition, you could be looking at having your license revoked, which could mean you have to seriously change your day to day schedule.
Many of us who drive on a daily basis do not think about what it would be like if we could no longer drive. Having to ask people for rides, call taxis, or just walk anywhere you want to go is not just inconvenient, it can be expensive and frustrating. It is a much safer bet to not get behind the wheel if you have been drinking.
