Virginia takes driving under the influence very seriously. The penalties in the state are among the harshest in the nation.
Despite this strong stance, DUIs continue to happen within the state. But authorities keep working toward deterring people from getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs. And their work is showing some positive results.
Benefits of deterrence
In the past 30 years, the number of people who have died due to drunk driving crashes has gone down by 37%. That is a great victory, and it is saving the state money. Virginia spends about $429 million due to fatal crashes each year. As the numbers decrease, that money can go toward other things, such as maintaining roads and creating more public programs.
Still work to do
Even though DUI-related fatal crashes are dropping, they still occur at too high of a rate. In 2019, that state had 827 total fatal car accidents. Of those, 32% or 264 had alcohol as a factor in the crash.
Even when a drunk driver does not cause an accident, they are still a danger on the road. DUI convictions in 2019 numbered 18,648 in the state. And these convictions are not cheap. the average cost of getting a charge is $5,000 to $20,000.
A person can easily be driving drunk without realizing it because the allowable blood alcohol level is under 0.08%. For many people that is about a drink an hour on average. So, a couple of drinks with lunch could put a person over the limit and subject them to a DUI charge. It is far better to avoid driving completely if alcohol is on the menu.
