Nobody starts out planning to ding their driving record, but one slip up can turn your insurance bill into a nightmare. Lets break down how a clean slate stacks against the usual suspects: an at-fault accident, a speeding ticket, or worst of all a DUI. These numbers come from 2025 averages for full coverage on a 40-year-old with otherwise spotless history, national ballpark figures.

Clean record first, the dream: around $2,068 a year, or about $172 a month. Thats the baseline, what good drivers pay without drama.

Now throw in one at-fault accident. Bam, jumps to $2,940 annually, thats a $872 hike, or 42% more. Over three years it sticks around (most companies surcharge that long, some drag it to five), youre looking at $2,616 extra total. Why? Insurers figure if you messed up once, you might again, and claims cost them big.

Speeding ticket? Not as brutal, but still stings. Average $2,503 a year, up $435 from clean, about 21% jump. Lasts three years typically, so add $1,305 over that time. Minor stuff like going 10 over, but companies see it as a sign youre pushing limits.

DUI though, ouch. Thats the killer, rates skyrocket to $4,737 or so, a $2,669 increase, nearly 129% higher. And it haunts you longer, three to seven years easy, sometimes 10 in tough states. Over five years? Youre out $13,345 more than if youd stayed sober. Insurers treat it like a red flag for total recklessness, plus you might need that SR-22 form, which adds paperwork and fees.

Real example from a buddy last summer: clean record, paying $1,950 for his SUV. Got a ticket for 15 over, next renewal hit $2,380, up $430. Swore hed drive slower, but that extra cash stung for the full three years. Another pal with a DUI? Went from $2,200 to $5,100 overnight, spent years scraping to cover it while finishing the required classes.

Point is, these arent one-off hits, they compound over years and make every renewal feel like punishment. Keep it clean if you can, and if you cant, shop around hard because not every company punishes the same. One accident or ticket doesnt define you, but it sure defines your budget for a while. Drive smart, folks.