What you’re risking when you drink and drive
The true cost of DWI
Celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day
What you’re risking when you drink and drive
If you care enough to have your car shipped during a move or trip, why would you risk damaging or even totaling it because you were driving under the influence of alcohol? Every year people drink and drive on holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and it continues to be an issue whether they’re causing accidents or getting pulled over and arrested for driving while being intoxicated. With everything that you’re risking, it doesn’t make any sense to even consider getting behind the wheel after you’ve had something to drink.
The true cost of DWI
Let’s start off by considering that all that happens is you get pulled over and arrested if you drink and drive. Depending on where you get your DWI and whether or not it’s your first DWI, the estimated total cost can be anywhere from $15,000 to $27,000.
That includes: bail, your defense attorney, increased insurance premiums, towing costs, jail fees, court fines, alcohol program cost, license re-instatement fees and more. So, a short ride under the influence could cost you at least $15,000 – all when you could have called a cab or an Uber for a fraction of the price. You will also lose your license for a year, and you could possibly spend a year in jail depending on your blood alcohol level at the time of the DWI. All of that is just for the first offense as well.
That, though, is the better case scenario if you drink and drive this St. Patrick’s Day or any time for that matter. If you get into an accident, you will also have to pay the bill for repairs on your car and anyone else’s car involved in the accident. Even if the accident was 100% not your fault, you will still be at fault because you are driving under the influence of alcohol. You can expect to add at least another $5,000 in car repairs if this is the scenario you find yourself in.
Now, consider the worst-case scenario, a very real possibility if you drink and drive. You could easily end up injuring or even killing someone, yourself included. If this is the scenario you find yourself in, yes, the cost will be even higher, but that will be the least of your worries. Forget the cost and the overwhelming guilt you’ll be feeling. Legally, you could end up going to jail for a long time. You could end up being charged with vehicular homicide or man slaughter in which case you’ll see a sentence of two to twenty years depending on the specifics of the case. You’ll likely, and justifiably see a longer sentence (of ten or more years).
Celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day
The specifics of every DWI case are different so it’s impossible to accurately predict what will end up happening with each particular case. Two things are for sure though, you will pay dearly for drinking and driving and there is absolutely no good reason to ever get behind the wheel of a car when you’re drunk.
There are so many other options out there. You can have a friend stay sober and be the designated driver for the night. You can stay sober and be the designated driver for the night. You can call a cab. You can order an Uber, Lyft, etc. (there is no shortage of ride-share apps out there). You can even stay home and drink. Any of these are infinitely better and, more importantly, safer choices than drinking and driving.
Don’t forget, across the country the legal Blood-Alcohol limit is .08% which means if you get behind the wheel after having more than one regular drink you will be over the limit and you will be arrested. If you are under 21, any alcohol in your blood will get you arrested as there is a zero-tolerance policy for underage DWI across the country. Across the country from 2006-2010 over seven hundred people were killed from drunk driving accidents on St. Patrick’s Day alone. In 2015 30 people died in drunk driving accidents. In general, one third of all fatalities in car accidents in the United States are caused by drunk driving. Don’t be a statistic or the person that causes them. Stay safe this St. Patrick’s Day and be driven home.
