Dan Kennedy : Delaware : I have been recently issued a speeding ticket and this is my first speeding ticket. Would this affect my auto insurance rate. A friend of mine was saying that I would need SR22 car insurance, is this true.

Response : I can understand that in Delaware there is a campaign going on and will let you know the news for this in details. Yes, technically if you have a speeding ticket than this would mean that your driving history is affected and so there is every chance and certainly that your auto insurance premium would increase. Secondly, let me assure you that having only one speeding ticket would not put in the category of a high risk driver requiring SR22 car insurance. You can check up my blog for a better understanding for what SR22 car insurance or SR22 form is about. You will infact, not also require to go for the speciality insurers for obtaining car insurance quote. You can get a low auto insurance quote by shopping for online auto insurance quotes before buying your insurance so that you know the lowest rates. The blog provides good cheap sr22 car insurance quote and for even for those who need personal car insurance quote.

Now, let me tell you that in Delaware’s four-month campaign against speeding produced 6,322 citations and you where one of them. The Office of Highway Safety says that’s an increase of nearly 4,000 compared to a similar, three-month campaign last year.

Office spokeswoman Andrea Summers says the number of fatal crashes attributed to speed dropped 12 percent, from 30 percent, after the campaign started.

Highway Safety director Tricia Roberts says “speeding enforcement will not cease” even though this period of public awareness and high visibility enforcement has ended.

The officers participating in the campaign are Delaware State Police, New Castle County police and Dover police officers. I know we do not like such campiagns but the brighter side is that they do prevent fatal accidents and reduce the cost of claims giving us all better savings and cheap sr22 car insurance quote or cheap automobile insurance quotes. Happy Motoring.

Martin : Why is it considered alcohol impaired driving if one has a BAC of 0.08, would it really matter for  auto insurance? Why is it considered high risk insurance?

Response : Martin, a lot of questions but relevant ones. Alcohol impaired driving or DUI driving under influence or driving under intoxication is when one has BAC levels of 0.08 and beyond. This figure has not been arrived just from the thin air but based on research, statistics and scientific data all combined. Even if you consider the recent statistics gathered by the NHTSA National Center for Statistic and Analysis than the data for the past ten years bespeaks of the fact that BAC levels of 0.08 or higher have been found in cases of  motor vehicle accidents and fatal losses.

What is more disturbing is the fact that the incident of alcohol impaired driving  at these BAC levels have lead to fatal accidents in children. Below are some statistical data from the NHTSA.

Children

In 2008, a total of 1,347 children age 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those 1,347 fatalities, 216 (16%) occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Out of those 216 deaths, 99 (46%) were occupants of a vehicle with a driver who had a BAC level of .08 or higher. Another 34 children age 14 and younger who were killed in traffic crashes in 2008 were pedestrians or pedal cyclists who were struck by drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher.

The national rate of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 was 0.40 per 100 million vehicle miles of travel.

The above would make it very clear to you that this would make the claim ratios very high for the insurance companies and naturally they would than classify this as high risk and charge a premium or DUI car insurance based on the nature of the risk which is obviously very high. The Government and the traffic department would also insist that such DUI offenders should carry a SR22 form and take SR22 car insurance which is given by the specialty insurers, who underwrite these risks.

DUI car insurance or high risk drivers are also served in the market since this is their need and with the keen competition cheap sr22 insurance or affordable DUI car insurance can be obtained.

Thanks.

Ross Goldberg: Is it true that the police can ask for a breathalyzer tests in Arizonian? I have already been involved in a DUI once and do not want it again since my SR22 insurance was very high.
Response : A good question – luckily so far USA this has not been implemented. In Canada the DUI legislation may allow random breathalyzer tests as per the latest news on Sept. 26, 2009. Canada’s federal department of justice may expand impaired driving legislation to allow police to administer roadside breath tests randomly, regardless of whether or not officers suspect the driver has been drinking, Canwest News Service reported. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said that the department is mulling a proposed amendment to the Criminal Code during a keynote address at the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada annual conference.
 However, debate is swirling around whether or not the random testing would constitute a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in that the charter guarantees against unreasonable search and seizure, Canada.com reported.
Currently, unless a driver admits to drinking, the police currently need visible signs of impairment in order to demand a roadside breath test on a screening device, according to a July 2009, MADD Canada report, Random Breath Testing: A Review of the Evidence.
“American research indicates that using these enforcement techniques, the police failed to detect more than 60% of legally impaired drivers stopped at sobriety checkpoints,” the report said.
Random breath testing has been implemented in countries such as Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
“In Queensland, Australia, random breath testing was estimated to have reduced total fatal crashes by 35% between 1988 and 1992, preventing an estimated 789 fatal crashes in that period,” the report said.

Thus from this report and news you will understand that it might not be long for the law to be implemented in Canada and than the law coming across the border.

I would advice you not to worry but start taking precautions like the putting the steering lock. Also the good news on the DUI car insurance is that certain specialized insurers offer you cheap affordable SR22 car insurance quotes. Please shop online.

Leslie : Is DUI driving the only issue for auto insurance or are there any other measures being taken for stopping auto accidents. Is this also high risk as per auto insurance.

Response : Leslie, this is an excellent question. the next biggest problem other than drunk driving in the US is the problem of text messaging or distracted driving. This is another factor which is considered to be a big issue and high risk. Unfortunately for the insurance companies, just like the fact that many drivers do drunk driving or drive under influence but are not caught. Thus in spite of being a high risk they escape with paying a low premium. Likewise till date the persons doing text messaging or distracted driving are a high risk but are not caught.

Text messaging is now banned and so those caught with this offence have to pay only some fines, however, the person who is involved in an accident will naturally pay a higher premium on account of the accident on the record. I would not be surprised if the insurance companies do start considering this offence also as high risk , and rightly so. There are incidents when woman also have caused serious and fatal accidents because of this.

Leslie, one should stay away from drinks, text messaging and all other distractions whilst driving since it is your life at risk also. DUI car insurance, sr 22 car insurance and claim records all are high risk and costly insurances for anyone.

David : Kentucky : I was invovled in a DUI convictions and am looking for DUI car insurance quotes. Would it be possible to know when you have reached your BAC .

Response : David, let me tell you that Kentucky is a strict state as far as DUI laws are stated. Secondly, this is the right place for look for DUI car insurance quotes since we do have the quotes from some of the best insurers. More important than this, I would honestly advise you to be more careful and not drive under influence since Kentucky is becoming stricker since they are concerned about you.

Roadway fatalities in Kentucky have declined for three years in a row. But the agency says that as of Oct. 6, the statewide total for the year was 599, two more than on the same date a year ago.Acting Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock says more than half those killed were not wearing seat belts, and 22 percent of deaths involved alcohol.

To make you aware of the dangers of DUI driving motorists in Kentucky will soon see a grim reminder about highway deaths.The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety will start posting highway fatality totals on more than 50 electronic message boards on interstates and parkways.

Starting next Tuesday which is 12th October 2009, the agency says the fatality totals will be posted along with other highway safety messages. Emergency messages such as road closures and Amber Alerts will take priority.

Calculating the exact number of drinks it takes to be legally drunk is not an exact science. Each person has unique individual physical qualities that contribute to a BAC score.There are formulas based on averages that can estimate a persons blood alcohol concentration, however these calculations are not correct for all drivers.It is safe to say that for each drink you have, you bring yourself that much closer to what the State of Kentucky considers an “impaired driver”.

The best answer is not to drink and drive . The State of Kentucky has strict laws for drunk driving, and when you drink and drive in Kentucky, you risk your freedom, finances and your future and most importantly asking for a SR22 car insurance quote, which is never cheaper than a normal quote.