February 11, 2012
/24-7PressRelease/ -- DUI Convictions in North Carolina Prove to Be Quite Costly
According to North Carolina's Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, the State Highway Patrol arrested more than 24,000 people for driving while impaired in 2011. Additionally, 874 people were killed in traffic accidents last year, many of whom died in an alcohol-related crash.
Lawmakers and police agencies work diligently to create safe roads by reducing DWI and other traffic offenses. One way the legislature has addressed this concern is with the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan, which gives drivers a financial incentive to maintain safe driving habits.
Safe Driver Incentive Plan: How it Works
The SDIP allocates "points" to a person's driving record when he or she is at fault in an accident or when he or she violates a traffic law. The North Carolina Department of Insurance states that these points result in a percentage increase in insurance premiums that can range from 30 percent to 340 percent of a person's previous rate.
Specific point amounts are attributed to various violations. For example, 12 points are added to a driving record if a driver is convicted of manslaughter, negligent homicide or driving with a blood-alcohol content above 0.08. These offenses would result in more than a 300 percent increase in a person's insurance premiums. Some other traffic violations and their points include:
-10 Points: Speeding to elude arrest (260 percent premium increase)
-8 Points: Aggressive driving or driving during revocation or suspension of license (195 percent premium increase)
-4 Points: Reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus or various speeding violations (80 percent premium increase)
-2 Points: Illegal passing, following too closely or driving on the wrong side of the road (45 percent premium increase)
Other DWI Costs and Penalties
Increased insurance premiums are one of many potential penalties someone convicted of a DWI might face. For example, a DWI conviction could result in license revocation, mandatory alcohol treatment classes, probation, fines and even jail time.
As a result, it is important to ensure your rights are protected throughout the criminal process if you are arrested for DWI. This begins with making certain the traffic stop itself was legal and whether any sobriety tests were performed correctly. Anyone facing DWI charges should speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately to discuss his or her legal rights and what to expect moving forward.
Article provided by Cummings & Cummings, PLLC
Visit us at http://www.cummingslawoffice.net
---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com# # #
Read more Press Releases from FL Web Advantage:
