Drunk Driving In Florida Is A Really Bad Idea: Here’s Why

Better hope you don’t get pulled over for drunk driving in Florida because the Sunshine State is one of the strictest when it comes to enforcement rules, according to a new study from WalletHub.

To rank all 50 states and the District of Columbia, WalletHub analyzed enforcement rules across 15 key metrics, ranging from fines and minimum jail sentences to ignition-interlock-device requirements that drastically reduce repeat arrests of previously convicted drunk drivers.

Arizona came in as the strictest enforcement state, followed by Georgia, Alaska, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Florida came in at No. 14. Here’s how we ranked in the measured categories (1=best; 25=average):

  • 2nd: Administrative license suspension
  • 4th: Minimum fine (first offense)
  • 6th: Minimum fine (second offense)
  • 6th: How long an old DUI factors into penalties
  • 9th: Minimum jail time (second offense)
  • 13th: Minimum jail time (first offense)
  • 15th: Average insurance rate increase after DUI

Alcohol-impaired driving was the cause of 31 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition to the loss of human life, the government estimates that drunk driving costs Americans more than $40 billion per year in economic losses.

See the full rankings here.

 

Source:  OBJ

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