Insurance Rates in Louisiana Are Awful – Here’s How a DUI Can Make It Way Worse
LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - It is not a secret that insurance rates in Louisiana are not great, especially for those of us who drive. It's so bad that the state government has been working overtime for multiple years to try and fix the problem.
Auto insurance in Louisiana is higher than almost everywhere else. We are constantly near the top of the list when it comes to the highest premiums in the country.
READ MORE: There Are 4 Big Reasons Why Louisiana’s Auto Insurance Rates Are So High
MarketWatch Guides, a reviews and recommendations team for consumers, looked at car insurance data all across the country and noted that insurance in Louisiana residents pay the most in the country for full coverage.
Even with minimum coverage, Louisiana residents pay among the highest rates.
But if you get caught driving under the influence, an analysis found, it will hit your bank account hard. Louisiana drivers, according to MarketWatch Guides, see an average of a 21 percent increase in their full coverage auto insurance policies after a DUI.
The state average for full coverage is $363 a month, but with a DUI, it jumps to $439 a month.
For those with minimum coverage, it's an even bigger hike. Their rates jump an average of 44% from $125 a month to $180 a month.
The analysis also found:
• Alcohol-involved crashes have an economic cost of $68.9 billion, or 20% of all crash costs.
• According to the most recent data, 13,524 people were killed in alcohol-impaired traffic accidents in 2022
“The financial impact of a DUI conviction can be immense, but it pales in comparison to the potential human cost of driving under the influence," said David Straughan, an analyst with MarketWatch Guides. "According to data from the NHTSA, more than 15,000 people lost their lives in a car accident that involved alcohol in 2021 (the most recent year for which the NHTSA has published such data)."
"You have an opportunity to recover from the financial pain of a DUI, even if it takes several years," Straughan added. "However, the decision to drive after drinking can cause deadly consequences that you and the family and friends of someone injured or killed in a crash may never recover from. It is never worth it.”
The Bottom Line
Drinking and driving is devastating because it turns a risky choice into a tragic event. When someone drives after drinking, their ability to think clearly, react quickly, and control the car is seriously affected.
This makes accidents much more likely, often leading to serious injuries or deaths. The impact on the victims and their families is heart-wrenching, leaving them with deep pain and loss.
The driver also suffers consequences, facing legal trouble, financial problems, and overwhelming guilt. The effects ripple through the community too, as everyone feels the sorrow and deals with the costs of these accidents.
Drinking and driving is one of the most preventable dangers, but when it happens, it causes harm that affects many people and could have easily been avoided.
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Gallery Credit: Joe Cunningham
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