Los Angeles DUI Attorney BlogDUIs Hit Your Pocketbook
Ever wondered how much a conviction for a DUI in Los Angeles will really cost you? A recent study from InsuranceQuotes.com provides some insights.
The website took a look at the average increases in vehicle insurance rates after drivers get a ticket for a moving violation. Insurers raised their rates the most for drivers arrested for DUI/DWI; the average premium for the entire country almost doubled, increasing by 94 percent.
Insurers in California, however, are even tougher on their customers. California has the third highest average rate increase after a DUI–a whopping 189.34%! (But Golden State drivers can be glad they don’t live in North Carolina, where the average increase is 333.85%, or in Hawaii, where they’ll pay an average 293.79% more for auto insurance after a DUI.)
Reckless driving will also get you a hefty increase in your auto insurance costs. The average rate increase for California drivers is 189.34%, second only to Hawaii’s 290.68%. Speeding apparently does not cause the same degree of concern for insurers, since the average premiums in California increase by 37.83% for that offense. (California has the eighth highest average premium increase in the U.S.)
Of course, insurance increases are only a small part of the costs that drivers convicted of DUI will have to swallow. Under AB 91, drivers who live in Los Angeles, Alameda, Tulare or Sacramento Counties, must install an ignition interlock device for a first-time DUI offense; in other counties, the court has the option of ordering IIDs for first or subsequent DUI offenses. Mothers Against Drunk Driving says the cost to install such devices can run anywhere from $70 to $150, and monthly monitoring fees can run between $6o to $80. The total costs can run $1,000 a year or more. In addition, those convicted of DUI will have to pay the fines and penalties associated with DUIs under California Vehicle Code 23512, which start at $1,800.
To develop an effective, evidence-based defense to your Los Angeles DUI charges, call Harvard Law School educated attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today for a free consultation.