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Drunk driving has become a major problem on the roads of the United States these days, which makes the roads a much more dangerous place to be at certain times of the day. Being pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence can be a very scary thing to deal with, especially if you have had a drink, even if it was only one drink. Your best bet when it comes to drinking and driving is to not drive at all when you have had even just one drink. This means you will need to have plenty of self-control if you enjoy an adult beverage every now and then.

Drunk driving comes with a ton of consequences and they not only include the loss of a driver's license and possible jail time but it will also change your insurance policy. A driver's auto insurance policy might skyrocket in price when charged and convicted of driving under the influence, no matter what state you live in or where the offense took place. Automotive insurance is required by all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States in order for you to drive on the roads without breaking the law.

Being charged with a drunk driving offense and then convicted of that charge can turn a person's life upside down, especially when it comes to insurance costs. Even though the driver will be without their driver's license for a lengthy frame of time, when the license is reinstated, their insurance rates will still be affected negatively. An auto insurance company usually looks back anywhere from three to five years on a driver's record in order to determine insurance rates and a DUI conviction stays on a driver's personal record for at least 10 years in most states within the country.

In some instances, such as being a repeat offender, an insurance company will void an auto insurance policy for a driver because they have become too much of a risk on the roads. This means that the driver has become a liability and too expensive to insure even when the driver's rates have been increased by the company. If you are dropped by an auto insurance company you will have an even more difficult time finding a company that will provide you with auto insurance. If this happens, you might have to wait anywhere from a couple of years to five years before you can find a company willing to provide you with a policy, even if it is a minimum required policy.

Do not let your insurance rates increase if charged with a DUI offense. Instead, consult a lawyer who can work towards having the charge dropped because of faulty breath testing equipment or a false or incorrect report by the police officer.