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Drunk Driving – An Offense with a Hefty Price Tag!

Posted on Aug 08, 2012

Did you know that alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crashes cost more than $37 billion annually? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration quotes this fact. Alcohol is evidently taking a heavy toll from the national exchequer every year, but did you realize how costly drunk driving can be for you as an individual?

If you get caught driving under influence, even without causing any damage to life or property, the cost of drunk driving can amount to quite a hefty sum. Here’s a roundup of how the toll on your wallet adds up.

Bail
If you are arrested for drunk driving, you’ll need to be bailed out too. At a minimum, this would cost you anywhere between $200-250, though the cost may go up as high as above $1000.
Towing the Car
Because you got arrested, you car will get towed away and will also be taken in for storage for a few days. At a minimum, this costs about $100. But if you get caught in a city like Chicago, your bill for just the first 24 hours could be as much as a whopping $1,200!
Drunk Driving Fines
You’ve broken the law and you’ll have to pay a fine. The fines have also gone up dramatically over the years, with some states charging over a grand for the offense. At a minimum, expect to be paying about $400-500.
Attorney’s Fees
If you decide to file a quick guilty plea, the attorney may charge about $250. But if you decide to contest the charges, there is no limit to how much you may end up paying, depending on how many trials you may have and the complexity of your case.
Increased Insurance Costs
If you are caught drunk driving, you cannot escape the keen eye of your insurance agent. Your insurance rates will likely be affected for the next three to five years, with an average hit of about $1500 annually. Multiply by three, and your minimum toll comes to a whopping $4,500 at least!
Alcohol Evaluation Costs
You may be ordered an alcohol evaluation if you are sentenced for drunken driving. This could cost anywhere between $100-250.
Drinking Driver Program
For those who are convicted, an educational and treatment program may be ordained. The price of this varies widely depending on the type of program, but typically a minimum fee of $150 is charged.
License Reinstatement Fees
Needless to say, your license will be confiscated. When you are fit to claim it back after meeting all the required legal conditions, the bill may be anywhere between $100-250.
Miscellaneous Hidden Costs
People have to stay absent from work, get marked for a criminal offense in most states which affects employment prospects, and if their job duty involves driving, they have to take a hit on their income too. These costs vary from person to person.

These are just minimum estimates for some of the costs and penalties involved, and these round up to about $7,000. The New York State Police Department estimates a minimum toll of $8,250 for the offense, while it is believed to be close to $1,200 in the state of Illinois.

Note that these are minimum estimates, and the actual bill will likely be even heftier. This is one costly offense. If nothing else motivates you to go sober, perhaps the incentive of saving a few grands might!

What is a DWI Charge?

Posted on Mar 21, 2012

DWI or ‘driving while intoxicated’ is an offense where a person is arrested and convicted for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. This influence can be evaluated by the BAC or blood alcohol content and by observing subsequent physical and mental impairments which can hamper driving.

DWI Charges

There are usually two types of DWI charges. One type is `per se’ which is based on the observation of the law enforcement officers during the field sobriety test or is evaluated by a breathalyzer test. In the US, the legal limit of BAC is 0.08 percent, more than this leads to a DWI offense and a DWI conviction.

DWI laws depend on the state in which you are living. Each state has its own way of administering field sobriety tests, specific legal limits to BAC for adult, underage and commercial vehicle operators.

Consequences of a DWI Offense

The consequences of a DWI offense are usually quite severe. They include various penalties like:

One year jail time,
Heavy fine,
Community service,
License suspension, and
Counseling.

The severity of the punishment increases with the frequency of the DWI charges. In states like New York, the first DWI offense is considered as a misdemeanor and will not affect the records of the driver. However, subsequent charges are considered as felonies and will appear on criminal records. A DWI conviction can also affect various other areas like employment, probation, promotions and subsequent offenses.

The penalty increases if you refuse to cooperate with the law enforcement officers and your charge is termed as an “aggravated” DWI charge. Refusal to take a breathalyzer test can also lead to aggravated DWI charge. If you have caused a fatal accident, then it will be considered as a felony.

If it is your first offense with test failure and your BAC is between .08 and 0.149, your driving privileges will be suspended for 30 days, with restricted driving to and from work and to school for 330 days. Second and third offense will lead to suspension of driving privileges for one year followed by one year of restriction of driving only a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device. The reinstatement fee is $200. The extent of DWI penalties will increase with the number of offenses committed.

Handling DWI Charges

A DWI charge is applicable to vehicles like cars, trunks or commercial vehicles. However, penalties are more severe for those who:

Operate commercial vehicles
Drive with minors in the car
Drive with a suspended or revoked license or
Drive with no license at all

Before you are convicted of DWI charges, the Department of Motor Vehicles will begin proceedings to suspend your license. This is different from the criminal charges brought by state prosecutors.

If your BAC was above the legal limit and you were arrested for drunk driving, you need to handle the DWI charges effectively as the penalties are very severe and can affect your life and the lives and safety of those around you.

Alcohol Abuse, Blood Alcohol Content, DWI, DWI cases, Drunk DrivingNo Comments »BAC Drunk Driving DWI charges DWI conviction DWI offense DWI Penalties

What Factors Affect BAC in Women?

Posted on Mar 07, 2012

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, a man and a woman consuming similar quantities of alcohol can have different BAC levels. This is because women have less water and more fat tissues which leads to lower absorption of alcohol and a higher BAC. Moreover, women’s bodies are smaller; so while one drink for a 120 pound woman can lead to higher BAC, the same drink for a man who weighs more could lead to a normal BAC.

Factors Affecting Women’s BAC

There are many factors which affect a person’s BAC. This includes:

The body weight and size of the person,
Gender,
Physical condition,
The amount and type of food eaten,
Amount of sleep,
Types of medication taken
The alcohol content of the drink.

The most important factor affecting the blood alcohol content is the size and gender of the person. With the increase in body weight, the BAC also varies. If the body weight is about 90 pounds, then the BAC would be about .05; however, if the body weight is 220 pounds, then the BAC will be about .04.

Women, on average, have a smaller built than men, hence equal doses of alcohol lead to higher BAC in women. Moreover, as women have more body fat which contains lesser water, alcohol does not get easily diluted which leads to higher blood concentration levels in women. Alcohol dehydrogenase, which helps the body expel alcohol from the system, is found less in women which leads to more pure alcohol entering their bloodstream. The hormone levels of women also fluctuate, and alcohol sets in faster when estrogen levels are higher, such as during the premenstrual period.

Irrespective of the offender’s gender, DWI laws are quite strict and the consequences are similar in various states of the US. It is necessary that offenders undergo a series of tests to analyze the amount of alcohol consumed. The testing procedures are same for both men and women.

Reasons for Drunk Driving Among Women

The major reason for higher DWI cases among women is the change in lifestyle and increase in stress which has lead to alcohol abuse. Various drunk driving cases have resulted in fatal accidents as well as severe injuries. Heavy drinking among women can also lead to health problems and health conditions like miscarriages and complications during pregnancy.

Though there are different DWI laws for women, those are as strict as the laws for men and the consequences are just as severe ranging from penalties to license suspension.

Alcohol Abuse, Blood Alcohol Content, DWI, DWI Laws, DWI cases, Drunk Driving5 Comments »BAC Effects BAC Level BAC Women Blood Alcohol Content Drunk Driving DWI Law