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I've often been asked, "If I get arrested for drunk driving, what will it end up costing me?"  The question assumes a conviction, of course, and an acquittal or plea to a lesser offense are common.  But assuming a conviction….

The costs will depend upon many variables:  the facts of the case, the jurisdiction in which the offense is being prosecuted, costs of bail, local court policies, the policies of the prosecuting agency — and even what the sentencing judge had for breakfast.  And it depends upon what costs you are talking about:  your lawyer, fines, costs of DUI schools, possible ignition interlock devices, loss of work due to incarceration and/or driver's license suspension, increased car insurance premiums, professional licensing consequences or other damage to your career, possible child custody issues, secrecy clearance problems, etc.

The following recent article in The Los Angeles Times, however, gives a fairly good if simplistic assessment of the immediate costs:

First Drunk-Driving Conviction Can Cost Nearly ,000 in California

March 14.  Los Angeles, CA — Beware of the ,000 cocktail.  

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day partying, the Automobile Club of Southern California has calculated that a first-offense misdemeanor DUI conviction can now cost up to ,649 in California.

That’s up 29% from 2011.

The penalties are even higher for teenagers. The expense of an under-age-21 first-offense misdemeanor DUI is up to ,492…

The Auto Club developed its cost estimate by totaling up mandated state and local fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs. The calculations do not include thousands of dollars of other potential expenses drivers might face if they lose work time for a criminal trial or to go to jail, need to pay bail or incur injury or vehicle damage from a crash they caused.

It also doesn’t include other potential drunk-driving-conviction consequences such as the risk of a civil trial or the requirement to install an ignition interlock in a vehicle.

Cheaper to take a cab.  Failing that, get a reputable attorney who specializes in DUI defense: his higher fees will save you a lot in the long run.
 

DUI BLOG

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Manitoba stories

If you have been in a Homestead car accident, your first priority should be to get medical help for yourself and for anyone else injured at the scene. However, you must not lose sight of the fact that your Homestead pedestrian accident or car accident could also have a huge financial impact on your life, as well as medical implications. If you have been injured or if the crash was a severe one, there are many costs that you may need to pay:

1) Medical costs. The immediate and long-term medical costs of a Homestead truck accident or car accident can be staggering. Homestead personal injury patients may need to pay tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in medical costs, depending on the type and severity of the injury. Some of the costs may not even be covered by insurance. For example, Homestead burn injury victims often require cosmetic surgery and skin grafts. Even though these are necessary in order for the victims to resume a normal life, few insurance companies will agree to pay for these procedures. In addition to hospital stays and medical costs, patients may also need to pay additional medical costs, such as visits to specialists, rehabilitation, therapy, and other costs.

2) Lost income. Unless you have substantial assets or savings, you will need to find ways to replace the income that you were getting before the accident. If your Homestead car accident was a severe one, you may be unable to work for months or even years. Some victims are never able to return to work. In order to continue to pay for living expenses and basic costs, you will need to find a way to replace this income.

3) Property damage. If your car has been destroyed, you may need to pay for car repairs, car replacement, and even transportation costs to and from the hospital or to your attorney while you’re awaiting a new vehicle. If there was anything of value in your car that was destroyed in the accident, you may need to pay in order to replace that property as well.

4) Insurance costs. After a car accident, your insurance costs may increase, sometimes substantially. You may need to pay for these added costs as well.

If your car accident was caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness, Florida law does ensure that you may not have to pay these costs by yourself. You could have a personal injury claim, which could help you secure a settlement that helps to pay for more of the costs of your accident. Unfortunately, in many cases, insurance claims and insurance coverage does not cover the full cost of a severe accident. That’s why it is important to consult with a qualified Homestead personal injury attorney before making any decisions about insurance or your accident claim. An attorney can help you understand your options.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Florida car accidents involving teens have a high cost – both in terms of lives lost and in terms of dollars. According to the AAA, car accidents involving teen drivers who are between the ages of 15 and 17 cost the US over billion in 2006 alone in damages and medical costs. Teen drivers cost the US .8 billion in fatal crashes that year and teen driver car accidents caused 2,541 fatalities and 406,427 injuries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that car accidents account for about 36% of deaths for teens, making it a leading cause of death for this age group. The risk of car accidents for teen drivers between 16 and 19 years old is higher than the risk for any other age group. Teens who are 16 and 17 are especially at risk, with one out of three drivers reporting an accident in their first year on the road.

Many Florida car accidents involve young drivers, and there are many ways to reduce the risk for young drivers, according to experts:

1) Increase mandatory training. Teen athletes log in thousands of hours of practice, but most states require just a few dozen hours of training time with a skilled instructor. Asking your political representatives to increase mandatory training is an important first step. In the meantime, parents and family members can pay for extra training time for their teen drivers – and check to make sure that teens take advantage of the offer. The more experienced drivers are, the less likely they are to be in an accident.

2) Focus on defensive driving. Once teens learn the basics of parking, turning, and sharing the road, they should also be taught emergency driving situations and defensive driving or collision-avoidance techniques. Ideally, these would be required by law. Until they are, parents can ensure that their teens get the extra training needed to stay safe. Many national programs cost less than 0.

3) Graduated licensing. Studies of graduated licensing programs have shown that easing new drivers into driving by increasing driving privileges gradually works. Signing pledges and creating new driver agreements to ensure that teens do not drive under the influence or while distracted can also be helpful.

4) Limiting the number of passengers in a car. Additional passengers mean additional distractions and each additional passenger increases the risk of a serious Florida car accident, according to many research studies. Unfortunately, teens tend to ferry many passengers, since younger friends are often without a license and car of their own. Parents can insist that teen drivers drive no more than one or two friends at a time to reduce the risk of accidents.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog