The costs associated with a DUI can sometimes grow insurmountable. According to an article posted on InsWeb, an insurance association Website, drunk drivers must be prepared to cough up around $10,828 in total costs for a DUI offense.
1. How will a DUI affect insurance rates?
The first noticeable difference after a DUI conviction is skyrocketing insurance rates. Expect your car insurance rates to range between $3,600 and $6,600 a year.
Depending on how long a DUI remains on your state’s driving record, these rates are known to continue for up to seven years. Any additional incidents or tickets could make them shoot up even more, almost triple those rates.
2. What are the other costs of a DUI?
Depending on the state you live in, additional costs under California Drunk Driving Laws range from:
- Towing: $300 – $1,200
- Bail: $250 – $2,500
- Fines and Court Fees: $500 – $2,500
- Attorney Fees (average): $2,500
- Mandatory Education and Treatment: $350 – $2,000
- Electronic Home Monitoring: $150 – $2,250
- Ignition Lock: $730 – $2,800
3. Do you need an attorney for help?
Yes. The financial impact of a DUI charge is devastating. The emotional effects and the impact it has on your family and career can be even more devastating. That’s why fighting your DUI and picking the right attorney to contest your charge can be one of the most important decisions you make.
Our drunk driving defense lawyers include three former DUI prosecutors and defend citizens accused of drunk driving throughout the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County courts. With a knowledgeable and aggressive DUI defense lawyer behind you, many DUI cases can be reduced to a lesser charge, dismissed due to faulty police work, or defeated at jury trial. Call us for a consultation. (Refer to our article, “Can a DUI conviction be removed in California?“)
