Thanksgiving is the most dangerous holiday to drive, according to a recently published report by a group of insurance providers. Alcohol impairment contributed to 35.5% of the total fatalities over a five-year period, the study found. In the latest national driving report, Kentucky has the 10th highest rate of DUIs in the nation, and ranked poorly among neighboring states.
In hopes of deterring drunk driving over the holidays, insurance analysts at QuoteWizard looked at the financial implications a DUI has on Kentucky individuals. Here are the key findings:
- Nationally, a DUI can raise insurance rates 80% for a minimum of three years, leading to an average extra $5,000 in premiums.
- In Kentucky, a DUI raises insurance rates by 95% or $3,390 a year for a minimum of 5 years.Kentucky’s annual rate for full coverage auto insurance without a DUI is $3,575, after a DUI is $6,965.
- Added insurance premiums combined with other DUI associated costs, such as bail, a lawyer, towing, court fees, treatment, licensing fees, ignition lock, etc. can lead up to an estimated total cost of $10,000 to $15,000, or more.
You can find the report on how DUI affects insurance rates here: https://quotewizard.com/auto-insurance/get-cheap-dui-insurance
In Marion, DUI arrests are actually on a decline the past two years. In the previous three years from 106-2018, an average of 11 drivers were cited each year for driving while impaired. There were six in 2019, the lowest figure in a number of years, and there have been eight so far in 2020.
