What A DUI Means For You And Your Car Insurance

What a DUI Means for You and Your Car Insurance

There's no getting around it: a DUI will raise your auto insurance rates. The insurance industry's conventional wisdom holds that keeping a clean driving record is the best way to keep your auto insurance premiums low, but life can throw you any number of curve balls.

The odd traffic ticket may raise your premium slightly. However, getting a DUI for driving drunk or high is a quick way to ruin your rates for a long time.

If you are convicted of a DUI, you can expect your car insurance rates to rise by about 80%, though this figure may vary depending on where you live and whether you are a repeat offender. Some insurers may even refuse coverage entirely.

These penalties are intended to reduce the dangers that DUIs pose. According to DUI reports from the National Highway Safety and Transportation Administration, 10,142 people died in alcohol-related crashes in 2019, accounting for 28 percent of all crash fatalities.

DUIs are a common problem, and criminal charges and insurance penalties are intended to discourage the practice. According to FBI DUI statistics, over 1 million people were arrested on DUI charges in 2019.

Your Questions on DUIs Answered

What’s a DUI Exactly?

DUI is an abbreviation for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, whereas DWI is an abbreviation for driving while intoxicated. Some states use only one of the two terms to describe a drunken driving offense, while others use both to distinguish drug and alcohol charges. However, whether it's called a DWI or a DUI, the penalties are the same.

What’s the Difference Between a DUI and an OWI?

In Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts, an impaired driving charge is referred to as an OWI, which stands for operating while intoxicated.

What’s a DUI Charge?

A DUI charge carries far harsher penalties than a traffic ticket. DUIs are classified as criminal offenses, as opposed to civil traffic violations. Instead of receiving a citation, the driver will be arrested. DUI fines are typically much higher than those for other moving violations. A DUI may even jeopardize travel plans, as some countries, including Canada and Mexico, may refuse entry to travelers who have had a DUI within the last ten years. DUI travel restrictions vary by country, so if you have a DUI, you should apply for a travel waiver to gain security clearance.

What’s a DUI Checkpoint?

In several states, law enforcement agencies set up sobriety checkpoints where they randomly stop vehicles to test drivers for intoxication. Officers frequently set up checkpoints late at night and near bars and events that serve alcohol.

If you are pulled over for a sobriety test, the police may request that you take a chemical test for DUI. The most common type of chemical DUI test is a portable breathalyzer, and police can use these tests to prove probable cause for an arrest.

A DUI urine test is another way for police to determine a person's alcohol consumption, though it may not be as accurate because alcohol takes a long time to digest. The test may detect alcohol consumed hours or days before, but it may not indicate the precise levels of alcohol in the driver's system while driving.

What’s a High BAC for a DUI?

Driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher is illegal in the United States under federal law. DUI zero tolerance laws, which govern intoxication levels for anyone under the age of 21, vary by state. Many states have set their zero-tolerance BAC level at.02 percent, while others have set it at.00 percent. Several states also increased penalties for BAC levels of.15 percent or higher.

What Happens When You Get a DUI?

If you are arrested for drunk driving and charged with a DUI, you must appear in court and enter a plea before a judge. Hiring an experienced DUI attorney, one who specializes in impaired driving cases, may assist you in avoiding a DUI trial or a harsh DUI sentence. If your DUI case is dismissed, the charges will be dropped and your record will be clear of any previous convictions.

Many states have DUI "per se" laws that allow the DMV to suspend your driving privileges even before you appear in court. In these states, if you are arrested for driving under the influence after exceeding the BAC threshold or refusing a breathalyzer test, you may lose your driving privileges for a set period of time. If this happens to you, you can challenge the charge at a DUI administrative hearing. Again, a DUI attorney can assist you in defending your case.

A judge may order you to attend a "DUI treatment program" or "DUI school" if you are convicted of DUI. Although they are referred to as DUI programs, these education and rehabilitation programs are open to anyone struggling with alcohol or drug addiction.

What Are the Penalties for a DUI?

Is a DUI considered a felony? A first or even second DUI conviction is usually classified as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a temporary license suspension. A DUI can cost you up to $1,000 in fines for a misdemeanor charge.

However, if the motorist is convicted of DUI for the third or subsequent time, he or she will almost certainly face felony charges. A felony DUI carries a sentence of one to several years in jail or prison, as well as thousands of dollars in fines. A felony DUI conviction may also result in the loss of voting rights as well as a longer license suspension or revocation. If the DUI caused property damage, injury, or death, the penalties will be even harsher.

If you get a DUI while on probation, it will almost certainly be considered a probation violation, and you may be sent back to prison.

DUI records will stay on your driving record for three to five years in most states, but some states, such as California, will keep a DUI on your driving record for up to a decade. In the meantime, you can expect to pay much higher insurance premiums.

The amount your rates rise after a DUI is determined by a number of factors, including your age, your insurer, where you live, the circumstances of your arrest, and your driving history. You can find the best rates by comparing car insurance quotes and re-shopping your insurance.

How to Avoid a DUI in the First Place

People drink alcohol almost everywhere they socialize, from bars to gatherings with friends or family. To avoid a DUI in the first place, some awareness of the issue is required, which begins with understanding the consequences.

Be aware that a DUI can occur at any time, even if you are pulled over for something completely unrelated. If you are going to be drinking, it is best to have a designated driver or use ride services such as Uber or Lyft. If you're with family, have a family member drive you home if you're even slightly tipsy.

Anything is preferable to endangering yourself, your family, friends, and other drivers. In the best-case scenario, you don't want a DUI hanging over your head!