Anyone who is convicted of a DUI or a Reckless Driving charge in Washington state unfortunately loses their privilege to drive for some period of time. It can be 30 days. It can be 4 years. When the person is finally eligible to reinstate their Washington driving privilege, they must first obtain, and then maintain for three years, SR-22 high risk insurance, in order to actually get reinstated.
What is SR-22 you may ask? SR-22 is proof that a driver has a way to pay for damages if involved in an accident. SR-22 is not, per se, itself insurance. It is a document that verifies that a person has automobile insurance. Once SR-22 is obtained, the provider is required to file proof of the coverage with the Department of Licensing. The person’s liability insurance coverage has to have at least $25,000 for an injury to another person, $50,000 for injuries to all other persons in an accident, and $10,000 for property damage. If a driver already has auto insurance, he just needs to add the SR-22 to his policy.
As with all things, there generally is a fee to file SR-22 insurance. Insurance rates may go up, which is dependent on a number of different factors, including, but not necessarily limited to, driving history, geographical location, and age of a person. It is always wise to shop around for the best bargain, and the cheapest rate, when obtaining SR-22, that may or may not be with a person’s current insurance provider.
If you are cited for either a DUI or Reckless Driving in Washington state it is smart to immediately seek the assistance of a Seattle DUI lawyer. A qualified and respected Seattle DUI attorney, among other things, can quite possibly save a person thousands of dollars in court and insurance fees, extent of loss of privilege to drive and amount of jail time to be served. Washington traffic laws are far too complicated for any ol’ attorney to handle. Be smart … hire a qualified and skilled Seattle DUI attorney when arrested for DUI or Reckless Driving in Washington State.