Drinking and driving this New Year’s Eve could be expensive. How much DUIs really cost

New Year’s Eve may be a time for celebration and reflection, but it can also be deadly.

An average 300 people are killed in drunk-driving crashes in the United States during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the federal Department of Transportation says.

It’s no wonder police take extra precautions during the holiday season to keep drunk drivers off the roads. If you are caught drinking and driving this New Year’s, a DUI could cost you quite a bit of money.

What constitutes drunk driving?

In all states, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher is a criminal offense, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association says. Utah has a stricter limit of .05.

Alcohol can severely impair your driving ability by slowing reaction time, disrupting your coordination and impeding your judgment, Recovery Worldwide says.

If you’re pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, police will try to give you a field sobriety test and a breath test to determine your BAC, Law Info reports. If you fail — or in some cases, refuse to take the test— you’ll be taken to jail.

How much does a DUI cost?

A first-time DUI has a number of associated costs which add up into the thousands, Driving Laws says. These include:

Court-ordered fines: average $1,100

Attorney’s fees: average $1,900

Car insurance increases: average $800

Bail: average $150

Drivers arrested for DUIs also rack up fees associated with traffic school, impounding, ignition interlock devices and the DMV, according to a survey by Driving Laws.

All-in-all, drivers charged with DUIs pay an average $6,500, according to the organization, along with an average $4,400 in lost wages.

These averages can vary by state. The total average cost for a first-time DUI in California is almost $9,000, Esurance says. In Texas, it can cost you up to $20,000, according to the Plano Police Department.

What to do instead

If you live in a larger city and have had a few drinks, you can use a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft instead of jumping behind the wheel. You can also hop on public transit.

Going out with friends? See if someone will volunteer to stay sober for the evening,.

You can also try a sober ride program from this list compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to AAA. The programs work similarly to taxi services; just call them up and wait for your safe ride to arrive.

This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Drinking and driving this New Year’s Eve could be expensive. How much DUIs really cost."