Driving Under the Influence Example For Free - Free Essay Example

Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have been caught Driving Under the Influence (DUI). This means that someone has been driving a vehicle while he/she is drunk or has an excess of alcohol in his/her blood. It may also mean that someone is under the influence of illegal drugs while he/she is driving, and thus, may put his/her life and even the lives of others in danger. A Breathalyzer test is done in order to check if someone has been driving while intoxicated through estimating the level of alcohol in their blood. Another thing: once you get arrested, your car will be towed and you will have to pay for you to be able to get it back, too. Aside from that, one of your biggest problems would be if your car insurance gets taken away because you have been drunk driving which is very irresponsible. This would cost you a lot of money and a lot of problems especially if you are still paying for the insurance because it may be doubled or tripled within the next thre e to five years. So, what actually happens to the insurance rates after one has been charged with DUI? What are the penalties that one has to face? Here is a rundown of what you could expect in case you or someone you know gets charged with Driving Under the Influence: Being convicted for DUI is probably bad for your car insurance rates. While you might not be willing to rush off and report your conviction to your insurance provider, most likely you wont have the ability to hide it. Your attorney might refer you to an insurance professional, who specializes in DUI cases, to be able to help to keep your rates manageable. The SR-22 Form Since a DUI conviction generally comes with license suspension, in many states you’re required to obtain a form called SR-22 from the insurance provider to get rid of your license suspension.Additionally, the SR-22 mandates that your insurance provider reports any cancellation of the insurance plan to the DMV.Due to the SR-22, your i nsurance provider will probably increase your insurance premiums because you’ll now be considered a high-risk driver. Premiums can increase to double or triple of the original rate. The insurance provider could also cancel or not renew your policy if you’re currently a preferred rate policy holder. If you’re exploring for any new insurance company, try to get it done before your present company cancels your policy.It is bad to have a DUI conviction on record, but it’ll be even harder to have insurance from another insurance provider if you have an insurance cancellation on your record. Insurers in non SR-22 states If you live in a state that doesn’t need a SR-22, then you may be fortunate enough that the insurer won’t learn about your conviction. Statistics reveal that approximately one in five convictions for DUI never show up on DMV records. Remember that different insurance providers handle DUI convictions in different ways.Al though some might want to cancel the policy you have, others might want to switch you to a high-risk policy, and yet others might just raise the premiums. Insurance providers consider DUI convictions on the case-by-case basis, so your premiums can depend on many factors like your driving background, age, or gender. SR22 Laws Vary by State The penalties related to driving under the influence vary between states, however in most of the states if you are found guilty of impaired driving, your drivers rights are going to be suspended for around thirty days to one year, even when it is the first offence.In many states, to get your license and privileges back, you will need to submit an SR 22 form to the licensing agency, which proves that you have car insurance. For how long will your insurance rates increase? Again, laws vary between states, but generally a DUI conviction will impact your insurance premiums for a period of 3 years. In case of subsequent convictions, the leng th of time is a lot more longer. Many states have driving under the influence laws that offer enhanced penalties for special conditions, like if some third person was injured, in case a child was present in the vehicle, in case your blood alcohol levels exceeded a specific level or had you been younger than 21 during the time of your arrest. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx How big your rate hike is going to be? There are 8 factors that determine how DUIs will effect your car insurance rates. How big your rate hike will be depends on several factors, including: 1. Age. Young drivers are socked with big raises following a DUI. Theyre much more accident-prone to begin with add drunken driving to this mix, and insurance providers become wary. This could also be an indication of a lifelong problem. 2. Arrest circumstances If you have been arrested at a sobriety checkpoint, you should see a less hike in rates compared to a situation where you were involved in a multi c ar crash. Some states rank DUI offenses in several categories of severity, an aspect that insurers will look into while setting the rates. 3. Driving history If have a recent motor vehicle accident on your record, you could expect a considerable rate bump. 4. Your state Each state has different guidelines that determine how much insurers can charge drivers. Consequently, insurers may demand more for higher-risk motorists in certain states compared to others. 5. Your location Drivers who reside in dense, urban neighborhoods with high-speed highways are considered as high risk drivers following a DUI. 7. Insufficient coverage In the event you didnt have insurance policy during the time of your DUI arrest, its likely to be hard to get one at any price afterwards. Youve branded yourself as reckless in insurers eyes by failing to carry an insurance and by driving drunk. You likely will need to be insured from your states high-risk pool, where prices could be doubl e of what you would have paid privately. 8. Number of DUIs The first drunken driving offense will hike your prices substantially, simply because research indicates that first time offenders often are alcohol or substance abusers. Research put together by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Traffic Law Center found that more than eighty percent of first time offenders are alcoholics or problem drinkers. About one-third of drivers charged for driving while being impaired yearly are serial offenders, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. Following a second conviction, its unlikely youll manage to find a private insurance. Ripple effects Your drunken traveling conviction will affect your insurance premiums for many years. Usually, a drunken driving incident or conviction will stay on your record until Jan. 1 of the 4th year following the conviction. Following a DUI conviction, all but six states Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New Mexico, M innesota, Kentucky and Delaware require monitoring of the car insurance coverage to ensure it stays in effect. For those who have insurance during the time of their conviction, your present insurer may drop you. Should this happen, dont assume you need to consider your states high-risk pool. Look around first Competitiveness among insurance providers has brought down the rates and you might find a much better deal with a private insurer. How Could You Avoid Increase Rates? Increased premiums come into play when you would like to have your privileges back. You can avoid these extra charges by using a public transport. A couple of states will still allow you to use mopeds without having a license. Even when you don’t personally own an automobile, but want your driving privileges restored following a DUI conviction, you will have to submit a SR-22 form by purchasing a non-owner policy. Simply put, you will need to buy insurance for a vehicle that you don’t e ven own. Why insurers are extremely cautious about DUI? Your driving history plays a significant role in determining the money you will pay for auto insurance. And a conviction under DUI suggests a risky driving history, which means higher auto insurance rates. Well explain why insurers are so wary of DUIs. DUIs = high-risk driving, high-risk driving = higher premiums The premium you pay on your policy depends, to some extent, on what your insurer deems your chance of being involved in an accident. And driving under the influence is exceedingly risky and dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informs us that during 2010 alone, driving under the influence cost 10,228 people their lives, making up 31 percent of fatal car accidents. Alcohol (as well as other intoxicants) affects the nervous system and impairs driving ability, slowing down reaction times and the ability to focus while influencing your ability to monitor the speed – a highly lethal combination, if you ask us. Studies have shown that, due to these effects, individuals with .09 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or greater are 11 times more prone to engage in a fatal accident than totally sober people. Following the nightmare of the DUI trial, your driving privileges might be restored. However, the question of car insurance gets to be more complex and much more expensive after a DUI conviction is on your record. Your Current Insurer Precisely what your insurance provider can legally do depends on the law of the state, however, your insurance provider may cancel or decline to renew your policy, limit coverage conditions or, at least, increase your premiums. Although this increase can vary greatly, your premiums may go up just as much as 100 % or even more. The way your insurer reacts to your DUI case might be worse for those who have other cases against them, like previous DUI convictions, late or unpaid insurance premiums or any ot her negative history. Not every state requires car insurance as a condition of driving, but those which do not require insurance have financial obligation laws that assign accountability to at-fault drivers in accidents for resulting healthcare expenses or property damage. Having a car insurance is strongly recommended to pay for this legal responsibility. Can One Get Car Insurance Following a DUI Conviction? Unfortunately, many car insurance companies are not going to insure a driver that has been found guilty of driving under the influence. This is for a number of reasons. The first is the risk that you will drive intoxicated by drugs or alcohol again. This really is dangerous in that you might not just hurt yourself by driving intoxicated, but you may also hurt as well as kill someone else. The business insuring you need to be ready to pay all of the expenses associated with medical bills for anybody injured because of your negligence. The insurer might determine t hat the risk outweighs any gain of getting you as a customer. However, many insurers will provide you with another chance. A lot of companies think that people learn from their mistakes and become a much better and safer driver. It is essential to take a look at all of your options when it comes to auto insurance following a DUI. Speak with several companies and figure out what you can save despite your poor driving record. Auto insurance following a DUI Auto insurance is available in three flavors: 1. Standard market, 2. Secondary market and 3. Assigned risk pool. Standard market businesses cover the standard risk pool, which does not include SR-22 filers and other drunk drivers who were convicted. If your present company cancels or refuses to renew your policy then you will need to look for coverage in the secondary market. Since the drivers in the secondary market are a higher risk and suffer much more losses, monthly premiums are greater. Add in the co st for SR-22 filing, and your premiums go even higher. Following a DUI, you can easily pay 3 to 4 times of what you used to pay for your coverage before. The assigned risk pool is for individuals who cant get auto coverage elsewhere. The policy is restricted as well as the price is high. You dont wish to wind up here, however, if you let your insurance cancel and get suspended again, your states designated risk pool might be your only option. Here are a few methods to lower your car insurance cost following a DUI conviction. Look around: Insurance companies are all different, and if the only blemish you have is DUI, you might get more favorable pricing. Trade in: Purchase a cheaper and older vehicle that doesnt need you to carry comprehensive and collision coverage. Understand the law: Talk with your states insurance division and find out how long an insurance provider can count driving under the influence conviction in determining your premiums. Mark the calendar, and start shopping once you qualify. Keep in mind that the clock starts ticking on your conviction date, not your infraction date. Keep your nose clean: Every ticket or claim on your own record will carry more importance now, so slow down and be cautious. Resist the temptation to reduce your liability limits to save money. The savings usually are not great enough to outweigh the extra risk, and if you are searching for new coverage some companies will provide you with better rates in the event you carried higher-than-minimum liability limits with your previous provider.