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If you’re a Missouri resident, it may seem like Missouri has some of the strictest punishments regarding DUI offenders. With mandatory driver’s license suspension for refusing to submit to a BAC test and ignition interlock device (IID) installation for the six months after a first time DUI offense in Missouri, the laws against drunk driving in Missouri are steep. However, when compared to some of the other states, Missouri’s laws seem like a walk in the park.
Let’s take a look at five states with the strictest DUI laws in the country.
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Arizona
The consequences that go along with a DUI conviction in the state of Arizona are enough to put it on the top of almost every list for the worst states to get a DUI in. The Grand Canyon state enforces a minimum fine of $1250 for the first time DUI, as well as a mandatory year of using an IID in your vehicle. Additionally, if you are convicted of a DUI in Arizona, you will serve a minimum of 10 days in jail. Or, if you wish to avoid going to jail, you can negotiate to have your license suspended for a year instead.
Alaska
Right behind Arizona for strictest DUI punishments is Alaska. First-time offenders will have to use an Ignition Interlock Device for six months and will face a minimum of $1500 in fines along with three days behind bars. A person’s second DUI offense in Alaska will land them with double fines (that’s $3,000) and a minimum of 10 days in jail.
Connecticut
While Connecticut is relatively lenient when it comes to first-time DUI offenders with fines up to $500 and only a two-day minimum jail time requirement, they take a somewhat different approach than other states. When a person is convicted of a DUI in Connecticut, their car insurance rates will increase up to 100%. And since DUI charges stay on your record for ten years, you can expect ten years of paying double on your insurance premiums.
West Virginia
Known for having a University that is ranked as the #1 party school in the nation; it shouldn’t come as a surprise that West Virginia cracks down on DUIs. Similar to Connecticut, the laws in West Virginia aren’t as harsh for first-time offenders. A first time offender in West Virginia will face no mandatory jail time and a minimum fine of $100. However, upon the second DUI offense, a person will face a $1000 fine and a minimum sentence of six months in jail!
Kansas
Missouri’s neighbor Kansas offers much more severe consequences for a DUI charge than Missouri does. In Kansas, if you are convicted of a DUI, you will face a minimum of two days in jail with up to $500 in fines for a first time offender. Like Connecticut, the real punishment in Kansas for a DUI is the increased insurance premiums. If convicted of a DUI in Kansas, expect to pay up to 50% more on your auto insurance.
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