Posts tagged with ‘DUI’
Every Drop Matters When Drinking and Driving
A pair of sociologists from the University of California, San Diego has recently released a study in the journal publication Addiction which brings into serious question current standards for alcohol consumption and driving. The study researched linkages between blood alcohol levels and car accident severity and mortality. Study findings strongly suggest that our nation’s currently acceptable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08% is far from protecting drivers, their passengers and fellow motorists. Full Story
Drivers with DUI See Thousands of Dollars in Increased Insurance Premiums
If potential devastating injuries and loss of life aren’t enough to deter drunk drivers, the hike in insurance rates might be.
A California-based study comparing quotes from an online insurance provider looked at the price increases receiving a DUI charge can have on a person’s auto insurance rates. In many cases, a DUI can cause a driver to see an increase in the range of several hundred dollars to several thousands, depending on their coverage and their age.
During the analysis, three major insurance providers in California were compared for three ages of drivers, and then compared again for whether or not the person had a DUI or not. Results indicate that when a driver receives a DUI, even without injury, their premium would rise by 41 percent, on average. For younger drivers, aged 19, a DUI meant they would see a premium increase 63 percent higher than the premium increase for a driver with a DUI who was 35 years of age.
Several factors are considered when insurance companies look at level of risk for a policyholder, but a DUI on the driver’s history puts that driver in a higher risk category and thus a higher premium. A driver who receives a DUI without injury can expect to see a large gamut of rate increases for insurance policies, ranging from 27 percent to up to 57 percent – dependent on the insurance companies methods and guidelines for acquiring higher-risk drivers.
If a person has lost their driver’s license during the DUI process, and is able to renew it once their suspension has concluded, they will be required to submit an SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility Form to their insurance provider in many states. The SR-22 is a vehicle liability insurance form used to prove that a driver has met the required liability insurance coverage in the state in which they live.
The insurance provider will file a driver’s SR-22 form with the Department of Motor Vehicles to demonstrate that the driver has truly purchased car insurance before a license can be renewed. This prevents drivers with DUI convictions from avoiding paying for or purchasing their policy once its rates have been inflated, and also prevents drivers from taking out a policy to get a license back and then cancelling it. The SR-22 form also means drivers with DUI convictions will not be able to conceal their DUI charges as they apply for insurance. In many states, the SR-22 form will need to renewed by a driver for three to five years following their DUI conviction.
Once receiving a DUI conviction, a driver’s insurance rates can continue to climb with any additional tickets or infractions for years, totaling thousands of dollars in increased premiums. Insurance carriers may also choose to cancel a person’s policy once they receive a DUI, adding a double-blow to the rate hikes they will likely see as they try to renew insurance with both a policy cancellation and a DUI on their history.
The significant increase in auto insurance premiums are only one of the life-altering events that follow a DUI, and pale in comparison to a driver becoming seriously injured, killing another driver and enduring a lifetime of emotional consequences.
Costs for a DUI Offense Can Include Lifelong Employment Problems, Plus Shame, Depression
Fines. Jail time. Loss of employment. Loss of license. The penalties for having a DUI are severe and go much farther than marks on a driving record. The penalties for a DUI can last a lifetime in the occupational and emotional levels, beyond even the immediate tragic consequences including injuries or fatalities.
Once a person completes jail time, court appointments and pays penalty fines, their DUI consequences are just beginning. In terms of the workplace, many motorists who have received a DUI conviction find themselves let go on various grounds, including terms like “improper conduct.” Coworkers can shun a coworker who has received a DUI, causing serious problems completing projects and working in team settings. Employers may skip over a person who has a DUI offense when opportunities for promotions arise, even if the reasons aren’t stated to pertain precisely to the DUI.
In many cases, the DUI conviction affects a person’s ability to serve as a role model in their position of employment, thus justifying their termination from the position. In other cases, the license suspensions received from a DUI conviction render a person unable to perform their job duties and they can be terminated. New DUI laws for repeat offenders can mean a loss of driver’s license for a decade – making employment difficult to maintain. If classes are ordered by the court as part of the DUI punishment, a person with a DUI offense may not be able to maintain their work schedule, resulting in the loss of that employment position.
For job-seekers with a DUI conviction, a background check can put progress to a standstill. A candidate with a DUI on the record can face the loss of an opportunity to have an interview or to complete the application process. Not only will the person likely face delays in seeking new employment, financial obligations will also increase with dramatic jumps in car insurance rates or a loss of coverage altogether.
Emotionally, the effects of a DUI can last for years. In 2009, Republican legislative candidate Steve May removed himself from the race when his ten-day jail sentence and three years’ probation sentence surfaced, consequences of a DUI in Arizona. He stated in an apology for his behavior that his actions did not portray his plans to be a positive community influence, and made his apology in the midst of strong public criticism for his DUI conviction. When an ignition-interlock device or breathalyzer is installed into a driver’s vehicle, drivers have reported experiencing the stigma attached to having had a past DUI every time they start their vehicle.
A DUI offense is much more than a mark on a driver’s history. Many DUI convictions remain for a lifetime on a driver’s record, and can carry shame, anxiety and depression – along with missed opportunities for employment and a high cost to personal relationships.
Penalties for Refusing DUI Test Can Include Fines and Jail Time
As part of state and federal efforts to save lives on the road, drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs who want to “just say no” to a breathalyzer or other sobriety test may face serious penalties. Strict measures for refusing a DUI test are increasing in importance, especially when it comes to punishing repeat offenders, who may be searching for ways to avoid new arrests.
DUIs Prompt Calls for Mandatory Alcohol Testing for All Drivers
One of the newest and, some would say most radical tools that government officials have started to employ to combat driving under the influence (DUI) is the ignition interlock device (IID).
More Women Driving Drunk – Numbers up 30 Percent
A surprising report authored by the FBI for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that during a ten-year span ending in 2007, the number of women arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) rose nearly 30 percent. The findings were unsuspected even to Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Department secretary, who commented on the report at a news conference. Approximately 2,000 fatalities each year are attributed to women driving under the influence of alcohol.
Assessing Mental State in DUI Offenders May Reduce Repeat Offenses
With the known risks in place for driving under the influence, it can be hard to understand why individuals continue to make the choice to get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated. According to a new study, this reason may have more to do with mental health than bad choices.
Multiple DUIs & Crimes of Moral Turpitude May Make You Inadmissible to the US
The 212(a)(2) Criminal Grounds of Inadmissibility, unless waived, could permanently bar immigration to America. Whether or not a ground is waivable depends on if the foreign national is applying for a non-immigrant versus an immigrant visa and, for certain hardship waivers, whether there is a qualifying relative. Crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT) and conviction of multiple offenses are the major non-drug related grounds used to deny immigration benefits to foreign nationals.
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The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One
A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.
