The financial costs of a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) in New Hampshire and other states are steep. Fines, restitution, counseling or NH impaired driver intervention fees, license reinstatement fees, impound fees, and fees for having an ignition interlock device installed on a vehicle are all possible costs after a DUI conviction or arrest, and they can add up quickly.
DUI convictions also burden society with monetary costs, especially if a driver is sent to jail or is arrested following an accident. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that a car accident in which at least one person is arrested on suspicion of DUI costs, on average, $49,000. Some of this expense reflects the costs of sending police officers out and of court and administrative actions, but some of it is borne directly by the person who has been charged with or convicted of DUI.
Being charged with or convicted of drunk driving also pushes insurance rates up. The NHTSA estimates that 18 percent of the total amount U.S. drivers pay for car insurance each year, or $234,000,000, is the result of increased insurance rates after a DUI arrest or conviction. New Hampshire drivers convicted of DUI must also obtain an SR-22 certificate of insurance in some situations, adding additional insurance costs.
Being convicted of New Hampshire drunk driving isn’t cheap, either in financial costs or costs to your freedom. At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., our experienced New Hampshire drunk driving defense attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of each client we serve, while fighting for the best possible outcome in each case. For a confidential consultation by telephone, call us today at (603) 614-5055.