Drinking, driving get much more expensive
If you were one of the three subjects arrested on charges of driving under the influence on New Year's eve in McCook, you might want to hire a good lawyer.
Yes, lawyers are expensive, but have you checked out the new fines for the alcohol-related offense?
As of Jan. 1, convicted drunk drivers will have to pay for the installation of an ignition interlock device on their vehicles.
The instrument, which tests your breath before allowing you to start your car, costs about $50, and the monthly service charge is $60 to $70.
Even if you don't hurt anyone, a driving under the influence conviction can easily reach five digits anywhere in the country, as AAA Nebraska points out.
Other expenses associated with a first-time DUI offense includes fines of at least $400, court costs, bail and impound and towing fees estimated at $500, legal fees of $500 to $20,000 depending on the complexity of the case, and an increase in insurance costs of $1,500 per year for three years.
Plus, you may lose income due to time in jail or community service requirements, and the next time you fill out a job application, you must check the "yes" box for a criminal record, since a DUI is a criminal offense.
If Thursday's hangover wasn't enough to convince you that over-indulgence is a bad idea, the ongoing expenses associated with a DUI charge should do the trick.
Next time you're tempted to drive after drinking, think about your bank account and call a cab or use a designated driver.
Drinking or not, you'll pay a little more for driving now that the Nebraska gas tax has gone up by .4 cents per gallon. The .4 cent brings to 26.4 cents per gallon the variable portion of the state's gas tax, which is adjusted twice a year to bring in exactly enough money to cover the State Department of Road's budget.
With combined federal and state taxes, we're paying almost 46 cents per gallon in taxes, compared to a national average of 48.4 percent as of Oct. 1.
But you probably won't notice the extra costs, thanks to the overall decline in gasoline prices. Retail pump prices for unleaded fuel across Nebraska averaged $3.10 per gallon at the start of the year and hit a record $4.10 by mid-summer before dropping to an average of $1.65 a gallon by Dec. 31.
Despite the Israeli-Hamas conflict and lower output by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, gas prices are expected to stay low as a result of lower demand because of the slowing world economy.