What could be the reason why my brother is being required to have SR22 insurance in Washington and how can he get that?

Aila

Everett, WA

Your brother must have received an alarming letter from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) asking a certificate of financial responsibility. He need not have to be so nervous because he can definitely get SR22 insurance in Washington.

SR22 insurance in Washington is a certificate filed by an insurance company that will guarantee the DMV that your brother has the minimum liability requirements for his car insurance. SR22 insurance in Washington is being asked for drivers who are considered high risk by insurance companies. There are a lot of reasons a driver is asked for SR22 insurance in Washington, including:

–DUI or Driving Under the Influence conviction
–causing a traffic accident and was not able to show car insurance coverage
–causing a traffic accident that resulted to death
–having numerous traffic tickets or accidents in a short period of time
–reckless speeding tickets

The state does not mandate car insurance companies to offer SR22 insurance in Washington. Still, your brother does not have to worry because there are a lot of car insurance companies that offer SR22 insurance in Washington, but for an additional cost. He can check with his current car insurance provider if they offer SR22 insurance in Washington, if not, he would have to shop around for his car insurance.

Tags: driving without insurance, drunk driving insurance, DUI, SR22 insurance

My cousin was arrested for a DUI in Ohio a few days ago but we live in Washington. How will this affect his drivers license in WA?

Daniel

Vancouver, WA

Both Washington State and Ohio are members of the Drivers License Compact (DLC) so if you are convicted of the driving under the influence you received in Ohio then their courts will notify the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) about this driving under the influence conviction.

The report back to the driver’s home state will clearly describe the infraction, specifying the section of the statute, ordinance or code violated; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered ; identify what action was taken; or the conviction was a result of the forfeiture of a security.

The Washington DOL site states that, they keep a record of moving infractions, convictions for automobile violations and notices for failure to respond or appear to traffic citation on every motorist in the state. This information that goes on your driving history is received by clerk of the courts and licensing agencies so it would seem that the out of state information reported to the DOL would also be put on your driving record in Vancouver, Washington.

The state of WA would take actions against you just as if you received the driving under the influence charge in state instead of out of state. In WA your license may be suspended from ninety days up to four years, based on prior violations and your blood alcohol level for DUI offenses. The Washington DOL could inform your friend more about what could happen if he is convicted of the Ohio driving under the influence.

My drivers license was suspended because of the DUI and my parents would like to add me to their car insurance policy in Everett, Washington. Will the insurance company be able to know about the DUI charge?

John

Everett, WA

I would recommend that you allow the car insurance carrier and your parents know that your driver’s license is suspended because of the driving under the influence charge. You should not drive a car or be insured on their auto insurance policy in Everett, Washington with a revoked or suspended license. You could place your parents or their auto insurance policy at risk for non-disclosure.

The insurance carrier can pull up your motor vehicle record when they try to add you to the auto insurance policy. They can disclose the information that they cannot add you because of your your drivers license is suspended because of DUI. They can give the inquirer for the information to use in order to contact the reporting agency.

My daughter has just been recently charged with DUI here in Washington. It was reported that she performed poorly in the field sobriety tests. How can we still challenge the results of the field sobriety tests?

Dylan

Kent, WA

There are many ways that a good DUI lawyer in Kent, Washington can attack the results of the field sobriety tests (FST’S). First of all, FST’s difficulties are caused by many things. Yes, your daughter may have performed poorly on the FST’s but that does not mean that she was driving under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has guidelines when it comes to conditions for administering the FST’s. A lot of things can affect person’s abilities on the FST’s. For example, your daughter may have became nervous when she was pulled over by the police, taken from her vehicle, asked some questions drunk driving, etc.

There are also other factors that affect poor performance on FST’s. The list includes lighting conditions. Your daughter may have conducted the test on little or worse, no lighting at all. Also, part of the list on reasons why a person may fail FST’s would be hills or slippery surfaces, the type of clothing or the shoes worn, if it was too close to traffic and atmospheric conditions. According to studies, many of these road side tests or FST’s have a low probability of identifying intoxicated or drunk individuals.

I’ve been keeping myself constantly updated with the latest updates and developments about DUI, especially the defenses because I have once been wrongfully accused of the said offense in Bellingham, Washington but the charge was dismissed. I’ve heard so much about this rising blood alcohol level. What does rising blood alcohol level mean?

Emma

Bellingham, WA

It’s nice to know that your DUI charge in Bellingham, Washington had been dismissed if you were not really driving under the influence. Well, to answer your question, rising blood alcohol level is one the defenses being used in a DUI case. This means that a person suspected of DUI may have different blood alcohol content (BAC) reading that what it really is. For example, a person suspected of DUI can blow a .15 percent at the police station, but have had a .07 percent BAC when he got pulled over. This is because alcohol takes an average of 50 minutes, but can take as long as three hours, to absorb fully into your bloodstream and create the peak blood alcohol level. This is very critical if the DUI traffic stop occurred relatively soon after the person finished drinking.

The BAC was probably still rising when the person blew in the machine which means that even if the BAC was above .08 person when the blood draw or breath test occurred at the police station (or hospital), it may well have been below .08 percent when the person was actually driving. There is no law against having a BAC above .08 percent at a police station; it’s only the BAC level while actually driving that counts for DUI purposes.

They say that I would have to hire a lawyer to represent me in my DUI case in Washington. I’m still thinking twice in doing so because it may cost me a lot of money. Is it really expensive to hire a DUI lawyer?

Evan

Yakima, WA

People caught operating a motor vehicle who are driving under the influence of either drugs or alcohol are charged with a criminal offense. It is unlawful to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the state of Washington. Compared to other lawyers, DUI lawyers have a detailed knowledge of DUI laws and have a good experience in handling DUI cases. They are familiar with all the nuances and particulars involved with DUI offenses. People involved in DUI cases are strongly advised to consult and hire the services of an experienced and well-qualified attorney because the law enforces harsh measures on offenders.

The fee actually depends on the arrangement. Make sure that the fees fully clarified and are set in a written contract to protect yourself. Some DUI lawyers ask for an initial retainer. Some give ‘all-inclusive’ packages, but be careful with this kind of lawyer. You always have to make sure that the package covers extra costs such as those related to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) license hearing, the fee for the expert witness, fees for blood reanalysis (if needed) and subpoena costs, among others. In general, DUI lawyers charge $500-$1,000 but it may go up in cases of repeat offense.

My brother has a possible DUI conviction here in Washington. I just want to make it clear to him and make him understand better the possible consequences of his action. How does a DUI conviction really affect a person?

Lynn

Tacoma, WA

Driving under the influence is not worth it because not only you are incapable of driving safely, but you are also very likely to receive a ticket. You might think that receiving a DUI simply requires you to pay a fee and try to get out of the ticket, but a DUI is really more expensive than you might have ever imagined.

A DUI conviction might cost your brother thousands of dollars, but it may also cost him emotionally, physically, and others would pay as well.

First of all, a DUI costs a lot of money. The car may be impounded, and then the driver would be taken to jail, and would receive a ticket, as well as other fees and fines that might apply to the specific situation. This would, of course, cost a pretty penny.

Then, there are the emotional costs of a DUI conviction. You would likely feel ashamed and embarrassed, and that is if you just got a ticket. In addition, you might wreck your vehicle or the vehicle of another individual, causing more emotional suffering and pain. Then, if you or others were injured you can count on significant emotional suffering.

Physical costs are likely with driving under the influence because accidents could happen. You may injure or even kill yourself, not to mention others. Imagine how you would feel if you cause yourself to be paralyzed or kill another individual. These are some huge costs of drinking and driving.

Then, there are the costs to other people as well. Your family would feel embarrassed and ashamed if you receive a DUI citation, not to mention if you are killed or kill someone else because you chose to drink and drive. Then there is the family and friends of other individuals that you might have injured while drinking and driving. They would feel angry and hurt as well.

Obviously, there are a lot of costs associated with DUI; most of them would change your life and the lives of others forever. So, if you want to drink, you have to make sure you call a cab or at least have a designated driver to ensure you get home safe and sound. We can all avoid all of the costs of a DUI and don’t drink and drive.