| The new tag line for drinking and driving is "drive | | | | appear in court. The ticket alone will be around |
| hammered, get nailed." And law enforcement | | | | $4,000 in some states. Then you have the cost |
| agencies are not kidding. | | | | of an attorney, the mandatory alcohol evaluation |
| If suspected of driving drunk, you will first be | | | | and treatment (the least you will receive for |
| tested using the field sobriety test, which consists | | | | treatment is an 8 hour informational class on the |
| of walking a straight line, standing on one leg, and | | | | effects of alcohol and driving, which typically costs |
| saying the alphabet-backward. | | | | around $50.00 to attend), probation costs, license |
| You will also be required to take a breathalyzer | | | | reinstatement fees, and increased car insurance |
| test, and if you refuse, you will lose your license | | | | charges. And then there's the hidden costs |
| for 90 days to one year, depending upon which | | | | incurred by lost wages from missing work or |
| state you live in. All 50 states in the US now have | | | | losing a job. |
| a legal limit of .08 for blood alcohol concentration | | | | A DWI can cost from $10,000 on the low end to |
| for anyone driving a motor vehicle. | | | | well over $50,000 when it's all said and done; |
| If you have any kind of drug or alcohol offense | | | | again, depending on if it's your first offense and in |
| on your record the police can search your car | | | | which state you reside. |
| without your permission. In some states your car | | | | And that's not all. |
| will be automatically towed and you will be placed | | | | Even if you never drink and drive, your tax dollars |
| under arrest and will spend at least one | | | | are used to clean up the mess left by people who |
| mandatory night in jail. | | | | choose to drink and drive. |
| Driving under the influence is not a felony offense. | | | | 2001 saw $230 billion tax dollars spent due to |
| At least not at first. In most states a DWI will | | | | highway drunk driving collisions. |
| move you up to felony conviction with the | | | | It costs less to take a cab from one end of the |
| second offense and in some states not until the | | | | United States to the other than it does to pay |
| fifth. The penalties also differ with the severity of | | | | for the costs you will incur if you drink and drive, |
| the crime. In New Hampshire, for example, your | | | | and those are just the monetary costs. Sadly, no |
| first DWI is a felony if you injure someone. | | | | amount of money can make up for the losses |
| In all states, you will get a ticket and have to | | | | incurred if you kill someone. |