What You Need to Know Now about Teen DUI and Car Insurance Costs

See the original article on BizBrag

In recent years, use of marijuana has been up among teenagers, while alcohol use has been falling.   This is important news for parents to know when they are talking to their teenagers about the dangers of driving under the influence.  To keep their children safe, parents need to know the facts about drug and alcohol use among young people.  It’s also important for parents to talk to new drivers about the long-term consequences of a DUI ticket, which can include cancellation of car insurance and insurance premiums increasing significantly for them in future years.   

Drinking Going Down

The good news is alcohol use by teenagers has fallen over the past 20 years.  In the past decade, binge drinking for teenagers fell from 13.6% to 20% reporting this activity in the past 30 days.  For the same time period, fewer 10th graders reported drinking in the previous 30 days, with the numbers falling from 43% to 27%.  For 12th graders, these percentages fell from 54% to 40% reporting using alcohol is the last 30 days. 

Marijuana Use on the Rise

However, teenage marijuana use has reached a 30-year peak, according to a recent New York Times article.  Currently, marijuana use is more prevalent among 10th graders than cigarette smoking and, on a nearly daily basis, one out of every 15 high school students smokes marijuana, according to one study.   Medical marijuana, which is legal in 16 states, has given teenagers more access to the drug.  Additionally, synthetic marijuana is being marketed to teenagers, causing use of the drug to go up.  If teenagers are using marijuana on a daily basis, these same teens might also be driving to school, work or to sporting event under the influence. 

The Impact of a DUI Ticket

For years, the focus of teenage driving and DUIs has been centered on teenagers driving habits.   With these new studies, marijuana use is something parents need to address with their teens when they talk to them about safe driving.  A DUI ticket will cause car insurance premiums to skyrocket.  Tickets and accidents for driving under the influence can result in a teenager being unable to get coverage, keep coverage or afford coverage now and in the future.  With a DUI conviction, premiums increase up 30%, depending on the state and your insurance company.  It’s also hard to leave this ticket behind you.  Car insurance companies look at a person’s driving record for up to 7 years when putting together a quote for coverage.   A mistake your teenager makes today can have lasting impact on their car insurance costs for year to come.

Read More