Take Justin Bieber, for example, who was pulled over the other day and arrested for Driving under the Influence (a misdemeanor). Now, let's assume that Justin Bieber is a normal member of society and doesn't have millions of dollars. Justin's DUI charge will remain on his record for at least 5 years (some insurance companies keep records for 7, even 10 years). He will first have to pay the fines and charges affiliated with his arrest, which can be upwards of $6,000 depending on what State is filing the charges. These costs include bail, towing, lawyer fees, and tickets associated with the charge.
(p.s. How annoying is it that he is smiling?! He knows he can do just about anything and get away with it...punk.)
(This is what he should look like!)
Once those charges are filed and paid, the expenses are not over. Justin will have to file what's called an SR-22, which some DMV's require to be filed after a DUI conviction. An SR-22 will reinstate Justin's Driver's License, and will allow him to purchase Liability Insurance once again. The cost to file an SR-22 is about $20-$30, and remains of his record for 5-10 years just like the DUI charge.
Now, Justin's Insurance will either double, triple, or even quadruple depending on his previous driving habits. The average cost for a multi-car Auto Insurance Policy in Missouri is $1,622 according to averagecarinsurance.com. So, if his car insurance only doubles, he is now paying $3,244 annually, which is an extra $135.17 per month!!
As you can see, the cost of a DUI is well over $10,000 when it is all said and done. So, the next time you get behind the wheel of your car a little tipsy, just ask yourself if it's worth the $10,000 to $15,000 risk? FYI, it costs about $80 to take a cab from Downtown St. Louis to O'Fallon, MO...
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