Regular readers of our Arizona DUI Defense Blog know that the Grand Canyon State has some of the harshest penalties for drunk driving convictions in the nation. Unfortunately, the pain doesn’t end with official sanctions such as loss of driver’s license, fines, mandated ignition interlock devices – and even jail time – provided for in Arizona law.
Those who are charged with drunk driving in Arizona also face the possibility that they will lose their job (especially common among those employed by driving services), future employment opportunities, educational opportunities and more. They also face the certainty of higher car insurance rates ifconvicted of DUI.
After all, as a recent news article pointed out, “your driving record is one of the biggest factors in determining the rate you’ll pay for auto insurance.” In many cases, insurers will cancel your policy as soon as they learn that you were convicted of drunk driving. In cases in which thepolicy isn’t axed, you can expect dramatically higher monthly premiums.
Two years ago, another news source stated that the average car insurance premium in Arizona before a DUI was $104 per month. The average after a DUI jumped to $240 per month – an increase of more than 130 percent.
It should be noted that the average monthly premium across the U.S. (before a drunk driving conviction) was $116 and that it rose to $201 monthly after the DUI, for an increase of 72 percent.
As you can see, even though the average monthly premium nationally was more expensive than the Arizona rate before a DUI, our state average became significantly more expensive than the national rate after a conviction.
If you have been charged with drunk driving, contact the Rosenstein Law Group to discuss the best DUI defense in your case.
