Cpl. Bob Beres with the S.C. Highway Patrol says while the “Sober or Slammer” DUI crackdown campaign, launched Dec. 16, helps to curb attitudes about driving drunk, there’s still much work to be done.
“Last year, over 15,000 people were arrested by the Highway Patrol for DUI,” Beres said, “And that’s just the highway patrol, not other agencies.”
Beres, who will be out with other law enforcement members as part of the blitz, said almost half of all South Carolina highway fatalities, or 40 percent, are alcohol-related.
“We all have a hand in this,” he said. “We have the TV and radio spots running and Highway Patrol is doing their part. ... But the motoring public has just as much responsibility when they’re out there.”
Officials say aside from criminal charges, a DUI arrest can carry a huge financial burden. For a first-time offender, the cost of insurance typically doubles after a DUI conviction. For the average S.C. driver, that can mean a total increase of about $3,000.
Legal fees are another cost. For a first-time offender, court fees can run anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 while attorney fees in South Carolina typically cost about $3,500.
Add in other costs such as bail bondsmen fees, vehicle towing, license reinstatement and substance abuse programs offenders are required to take, and the price can swell to more than $10,000.
“A six-pack of beer costs roughly $6 to $7,” Beres said, “but a DUI will cost you thousands of dollars in legal fees and insurance. Not to mention it’s going to stay on your driving record.”
And there can be other, more severe consequences.
“If you kill someone, (a felony DUI) could cost you 25 years in prison,” Beres said.
The crackdown campaign runs through Jan. 2.
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