The cost of a drunken driving offense is more than financial. The potential impacts of a DUI on both the driver committing the offense and those they may injure can be devastating, with effects that last a lifetime.
In 2012 alone, 10,322 people were killed in vehicle accidents where alcohol was involved. Economically speaking, the national cost of DUIs is staggeringMothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) estimates $199 billion is spent on DUI-related expenses every year in the United States.
For the person committing a DUI, the cost is more than emotional or punitive. DUI offenders pay thousands of dollars in fines and penalties and watch as their insurance rates increase by roughly 75.3%, the national average premium increase for such an incident.
NerdWallet, a finance and lifestyle website, recently examined the relationship between cities with the most DUIs and those with the highest insurance increases for DUI offenders. Surprisingly, its findings were not always as expected. The site utilized DUI statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), population data from the 2010 U.S. Census, and data on the car insurance premiums of 150 U.S. cities with the highest rate of DUI to conduct its research.
Unfortunately, Tulsa, with approximately 390,000 residents, ranked fourth on NerdWallets list of cities with the highest DUI incidence per capita. From 2010 to 2014 the NHTSA reported 74 alcohol-related fatal crashes. Oklahoma City also saw 74 fatal alcohol-related accidents in the same time frame, but Tulsas population is only two-thirds that of OKC.
Insurance rates for Tulsa DUIs are on the lower end of the national premium, NerdWallet found. Tulsa drivers can expect to see a 42.34% increase in their auto insurance rates after a DUI.
While actual insurance rates that drivers face will be determined by their driving record and insurance carriers, the dichotomy between the frequency of DUIs and the cities with the highest car insurance premiums is odd. Not every citys data reflected this inverse relationship, however: San Bernardino residents, for instance, will experience a 138.14% premium jump after a DUI.
Reducing DUIs is a huge concern to society in general. When examined from a financial perspective it becomes all the more unsettling that billions of dollars are being spent by all because of the recklessness of some.
Contacting Tulsa auto accident attorneys can help the victims of DUI accidents regain some of what was taken from them, although nothing can replace the loss of human life.
If someone you love was killed by a drunk driver, take the first step today contact The Edwards Furlong Law Firm for a free consultation of your claim at 800.304.9246.