Driving Infractions And Your Auto Insurance

If you are 18 or older, consume alcohol in social environments, and have a car, you might be one of the four million Americans who have admitted that they have driven drunk this year. What caused Americans to be so forthcoming about their indiscretions? A survey for Online Auto Insurance revealed the information in one of their surveys.

Legislators against drunk driving, concerned citizens, and auto insurance issuers find this information to be very startling, and believe action should be taken immediately to counteract the trend. As the data shows, drunk driving is a very real problem for citizens nationwide, and the consequences can be expensive, if not fatal. Drunk driving is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans nationwide.

In every state, driving under the influence is punishable by law. If a driver is convicted of driving under the influence, he will be subject to tickets, imprisonment, the loss of rights, fee payments, and higher insurance premiums. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-influenced driving was a factor in one-third of all fatal crashes in 2009—a total of 11,000 deaths. A driver may be convicted of driving under the influence if he has a blood alcohol level of .08 or more and is operating the vehicle in a reckless or endangering manner. If convicted, a driver must register as a DUI driver and will be automatically subject to higher auto insurance rates. Drivers who may fear being convicted of another DUI may try to skirt the law and try to drive without a license, instead of registering as a DUI driver. This could be an even more expensive option.

According to Online Auto Insurance, having just one conviction of driving without a license increased a driver’s premiums by 37 percent. On average, the rate increase for a driver who is convicted of driving without a license is 23 percent. An increase in premium rates is standard practice across the auto insurance industry when it comes to driving convictions, especially DUIs. Although some auto insurance providers will be more lenient if you are convicted of simply driving without a license, rather than convicted of a DUI, or of driving with a suspended license. In fact, statistics reveal that being convicted of driving with a suspended license raised consumers’ insurance premiums between 28 and 76 percent. Across the board, the average increase was 56 percent.

In fact, Florida and 15 other states have mandatory personal injury protection insurance programs. In the states where personal injury protection insurance is mandatory, a $10,000 minimum in property damage liability is required. If you have been convicted of a driving infraction, your minimums usually increase. In fact, individuals in these states who have been convicted of DUIs are required to pay more than three times as much, some as much as $350,000 in coverage.

When shopping for online car insurance quotes, be careful what you click on, because these sites can quote you misleading prices. And as a driver, you must commit to paying these high rates for the next three years or you will be penalized with even more driving restrictions and higher fees. Once you’ve been convicted of a driving infraction, it may seem hard to get back to the life you had before with cheaper insurance premiums. And it will be. The best way to prevent high insurance premiums is to avoid driving infractions before they happen. If you make it out alive, driving drunk can have consequences that last for years into the future. Don’t put yourself or others on the road in grave danger. Assign a designated driver for the night, or call a cab if you don’t think you can make it home safely.

Legislators against drunk driving, concerned citizens, and auto insurance issuers find this information to be very startling, and believe action should be taken immediately to counteract the trend. As the data shows, drunk driving is a very real problem for citizens nationwide, and the consequences can be expensive, if not fatal. Drunk driving is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans nationwide.

In every state, driving under the influence is punishable by law. If a driver is convicted of driving under the influence, he will be subject to tickets, imprisonment, the loss of rights, fee payments, and higher insurance premiums. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-influenced driving was a factor in one-third of all fatal crashes in 2009—a total of 11,000 deaths. A driver may be convicted of driving under the influence if he has a blood alcohol level of .08 or more and is operating the vehicle in a reckless or endangering manner. If convicted, a driver must register as a DUI driver and will be automatically subject to higher auto insurance rates. Drivers who may fear being convicted of another DUI may try to skirt the law and try to drive without a license, instead of registering as a DUI driver. This could be an even more expensive option.

According to Online Auto Insurance, having just one conviction of driving without a license increased a driver’s premiums by 37 percent. On average, the rate increase for a driver who is convicted of driving without a license is 23 percent. An increase in premium rates is standard practice across the auto insurance industry when it comes to driving convictions, especially DUI's. Although some auto insurance providers will be more lenient if you are convicted of simply driving without a license, rather than convicted of a DUI, or of driving with a suspended license. In fact, statistics reveal that being convicted of driving with a suspended license raised consumers’ insurance premiums between 28 and 76 percent. Across the board, the average increase was 56 percent.

In fact, Florida and 15 other states have mandatory personal injury protection insurance programs. In the states where personal injury protection insurance is mandatory, a $10,000 minimum in property damage liability is required. If you have been convicted of a driving infraction, your minimums usually increase. In fact, individuals in these states who have been convicted of DUI's are required to pay more than three times as much, some as much as $350,000 in coverage.

When shopping for online car insurance quotes, be careful what you click on, because these sites can quote you misleading prices. And as a driver, you must commit to paying these high rates for the next three years or you will be penalized with even more driving restrictions and higher fees. Once you’ve been convicted of a driving infraction, it may seem hard to get back to the life you had before with cheaper insurance premiums. And it will be. The best way to prevent high insurance premiums is to avoid driving infractions before they happen. If you make it out alive, driving drunk can have consequences that last for years into the future. Don’t put yourself or others on the road in grave danger. Assign a designated driver for the night, or call a cab if you don’t think you can make it home safely.