Why Driving Under the Influence Raises Rate

Auto insurance costs can skyrocket in some situations, including in which a person receives a DUI. Driving under the influence is highly dangerous and life-threatening. While the car insurance aspect is important, it is also important to consider just how worrisome DUI can be. Take a closer look at some key statistics.

How Much of a Problem Is Driving Under the Influence?

Drunk driving is a destructive force, according to MADD.org. Consider these statistics from the organization:

• Every day over 300,000 people drive in the United States under the influence of alcohol. However, police only arrest 2,800 people on average.
• In 2014, 10.1 million people reported that they drove a vehicle under the influence of illicit drugs in the previous year.
• About 7 percent of drivers involved in a fatal traffic crash test positive for THC. This is the ingredient in marijuana that creates a high sensation. Most of these individuals are under the age of 35.

There are numerous other statistics to consider. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that adults drive under the influence about 121 million times every year. This equates to over 300,000 times a day. And, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 800 people suffer an injury each day due to alcohol. When considering all fatal vehicle accidents, the agency reports 57 percent of those drivers had drugs or alcohol in their system. Moreso, 17 percent had both.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that, in 2017, 30 people in the U.S. died every day from alcohol-related accidents. That equates to one person every 48 minutes. And, in 2017, over 10,000 people died as a result of drunk driving accidents.

You can look further than this, too. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that these deaths and the destruction from drunk driving costs $44 billion a year. Another important fact is this one. In 2017, there were 1,837 people who died as a result of alcohol-related crashes. In these situations, the drivers of those vehicles had a blood alcohol concentration lower than .08. They were driving legally, but they still posed a risk to others.

Instead of Driving Drunk, Pull Over

It’s simple. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol leads to fatalities that we can avoid. Nearly every person who gets behind a wheel after consuming alcohol or using drugs believes they are okay enough to drive. No one sets out to drive a vehicle and kill someone in doing so. Yet, it happens. Speak to your car insurance agent at 817.589.0006 about what you can do to remain sober.

Also Read: What Happens After Your Car is Totaled?