Holidays are among the worst days of the year for drinking and driving. However, driving while under the influence has the same effect every day of the year. If you are planning on going out or know someone who is, please ensure that everyone has a safe and responsible ride home.
To help encourage this, we’ve put together a list of the many consequences there are to drinking and driving.
You may hurt someone – This is the most obvious consequence of drinking and driving, and it alone should prevent you from driving under the influence of alcohol. Sadly, a stunning 29 people are killed every day in accidents related to drinking and driving.
You can be arrested – You're likely aware that you can be arrested and face very serious charges for drinking and driving; especially if someone gets hurt or you cause property damage. On top of an arrest, you could also find yourself with a damaged vehicle of your own should you wind up in an accident. But that hardly matters if you encounter the next consequence on this list.
Your driver’s license can be revoked – Everything from getting to work to socializing with friends can become difficult when you have your license revoked; and it just so happens that a DUI can result in you losing your license (up to two years for your first time conviction). If you frequently can’t find a way to work on time (or your job requires that you have a license) then this could even cost you your employment.
You may struggle to find new employment – In addition to losing your current job, it can become harder to find a new one. Between criminal background checks and the continued frustration of not having a driver’s license, you may find yourself at a significant disadvantage when looking for employment. The same goes for school-related and housing-related applications that require background checks. If you’re a student, you could even have scholarships revoked.
Your auto insurance rates will spike – Take it from us, an insurance agency that’s been in the business for nearly half a century. Insurance companies feel that drivers who have been convicted of a DUI are a higher risk to insure. Can you blame them? As a result, drivers with a DUI find that their insurance rates will become much more expensive to make up for the risk (a consequence that usually lasts for a number of years). You could even have your policy non-renewed should your insurance company feel you are too much of a risk to insure.
A DUI can hurt your relationships and reputation – You become the unpopular friend quickly when your circles feel like you’re a liability, you are over-dependent on them for rides, and your reputation has soured because folks know you put others at risk when you got behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence.
While we encourage festivities and enjoy having a good time with our own loved ones, we firmly encourage the safety of our insureds and all other folks too.
Please be smart. Please be safe. Don't drink and drive.