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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!

DUI, Drinking Law, Drunk Driving1 Comment »Drunk Driving Offense Drunk Driving Penalties DUI

Drinking Amongst College Students: More Harmful Than You Thought

Posted on Jul 25, 2012

Recent studies and research seem to suggest that drinking among college students is on the rise. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) quotes researches which indicate an increase in fatal injuries related to alcohol from 1,500 in 1998 to over 1,700 in 2001 among college students aged 18-24. At the same time, 500,000 more students were found driving under influence over the same period (as compared with 2.3 million in 1998).

Clearly, these statistics show that the menace is on the rise in the country and college drinking may be more harmful than estimates in the past. And it’s not just the health risks which make the problem so dangerous. There are many other consequences of drinking amongst college students which makes the issue a quite grave one.

• Death & Injury

The worst case scenario is, sadly, very common amongst college students. Unintentional injuries and motor vehicle crashes are not unheard of either. Needless to say, even if accidents under the influence of alcohol do not involve death, some form of adverse injury does usually happen.

• Physical and Sexual Assault

Alcohol-related physical and sexual abuse is another problem amongst young ones. Studies show that about 50 percent of sexual assault cases among college students are associated with alcohol use, with incidents more frequent between people who know each other.

• High-Risk Sexual Behavior

Because drinking suppresses your mental processes to quite an extent, engaging in unplanned or unprotected sex under the influence of booze is a very strong possibility. Students indulging in heavy drinking have been found to have had multiple sexual partners in the past month as compared with non-binge drinkers.

• Poor Academic Performance

Though a strong association between alcohol abuse and academic performance cannot be established, students do report having missed classes, not being able to concentrate in class, and suffering from lower grades on exams and assignments in general.

• Vandalism and Property Damage

College campuses where heavy drinking amongst students is a norm frequently report property damage. Student drinkers themselves admit to having damaged property under the influence of booze.

So what can be done? Acknowledging the growing menace that college drinking has become, greater enforcement of the legal drinking age of 21, counseling programs, and greater community involvement are some of the steps that can be taken. Efforts need to be taken to protect the youth of this country from the mammoth problem that drinking has become.

DUI, Drinking Law, Legal Drinking AgeNo Comments »College Drinking Statistics DUI Legal Drinking Age NIAAA

What is the Difference Between Driving While Intoxicated & Driving Under the Influence?

Posted on Jun 20, 2012

Both DUI and DWI are terms associated with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. There isn’t much difference between them except the letters. While DUI stands for ‘driving under the influence’, DWI stands for ‘driving while intoxicated or impaired’. DWI laws are different in different states of the US; while some states use DWI, others use DUI.

Difference between DWI and DUI

In most states of the US, DUI or DWI are terms that are used interchangeably. But in Texas both refer to two different offenses. In both, a person is driving a motor vehicle in a public place under the influence of alcohol but the targets can be different in each type of offense.

The differences between DWI and DUI are as follows:

• In states where both terms are used for separate offences, DWI stands for ‘driving while intoxicated of alcohol’ while DUI is ‘driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs’.
• If you are convicted of a DWI, the officials should be able to prove that you operated a vehicle while drunk, or were in physical control of a vehicle when under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Moreover, they need to prove that your BAC was above the legal limit of 0.08 or more due to alcohol abuse.
• The penalties and the punishment are slightly different for both DUI and DWI if you are arrested and proven guilty.
• You can be charged for DUI if your BAC is below or between .08 and .10. DWI arrests happen if your BAC is above the normal or legal limit of .08 to .10.
• As the states of the United States have established different drunk driving laws, the punishment are different for DWI and DUI. If you are arrested for either one of these, you should be aware of the laws associated with them in your state.
• In Texas, DWI is considered to be a Class B misdemeanor and results in punishment of six months in the county jail and a fine of up to $2,000. However, a DUI is considered to be a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of a $500 fine and up to 40 hours of community service. However, in the state of Missouri, there is no DUI law but only DWI cases. In some states, DUI is associated with drug abuse and DWI is specific to only alcohol abuse.

Whatever the name, DWI or DUI are both criminal offenses that can lead to severe punishments and penalties. Are there different penalties for DUI and DWI in your state? Do let us know.

DUI, DWINo Comments »Driving Under the Influence driving while intoxicated