Statistics about drunk driving
Penalties for driving drunk
Wrapping up
Statistics about drunk driving
Drunk driving is the most senseless and irresponsible decision that you can make as a driver. Driving under the influence of alcohol means you are risking the safety and lives of all other drivers out on the road. It is also one of the most avoidable offenses you can commit since there are so many alternate transportation options available to everyone in 2023 primarily including ride-share apps like Uber.
Here are some of the most troubling statistics about drunk driving:
- On average in the US, a person is killed by a drunk driver every hour. That’s about 9,000 deaths due to drunk driving per year.
- Fatalities resulting from drunk driving crashes resulted in almost one third of all traffic related deaths.
- A 2019 survey indicated that more than one in twenty adult aged drivers admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol at least once in the previous year.
- According to the most recent data, drunk driving accounted for 33% of all traffic related fatalities in Alaska.
- The CDC estimated that people drove under the influence almost 150 million times back in 2018.
Penalties for driving drunk
The penalties that someone could receive in Alaska if they are caught driving drunk or cause an accident are justifiably severe. Not only will you face the loss of your driving privileges for an extended period as well as jail time and community service, but you will also suffer big financial consequences as well including sky high insurance premiums.
In Alaska, the penalties for drunk driving are as follows:
- First drunk driving offense – No less than three days in jail, a $1,500 fine and a three-month long license suspension.
- Second drunk driving offense – No less than 20 days in jail, a $3,000 fine and a year-long license suspension.
- Third drunk driving offense – No less than 60 days in jail, a $4,000 fine and a three-year long license suspension.
However, the financial cost might be the worst penalty of all when you are caught driving drunk in Alaska. On top of thousands of dollars in fines, a driver will additionally face a tremendous burden in legal fees if caught driving drunk. On average, legal fees for a DWI defense in 2023 cost approximately $1,500 to $10,000 overall depending on the severity of your particular case. And that is not it. Your insurance premiums will rise as well. When you are convicted driving drunk in Alaska, your car insurance premiums can increase by about 50% or more in some cases. If you pay the average car insurance rate in Alaska of $1,000 per year, that means your rates will increase to $1,500 per year or more if you are caught drunk driving.
Wrapping up
Drunk driving is completely awful and should never even be a consideration when you need to get home after a night of drinking. Each year around 9,000 people die in the United States due to drunk driving. On top of possiblly being responsible for someone being injured or dying, you will face severe fines, extremely high insurance premiums, massive legal fees, a long license suspension and jail time if you are caught drunk driving.
