A Brief Synopsis of DWI from a NYC DWI Lawyer

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving While Impaired (DWAI) are the NY State legal terms that describe drunk driving charges. Any driver in New York caught operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level exceeding the legal limit of .08% can be arrested and charged with a DWI. Additionally, a NYC DWI Lawyer may tell you that a driver can also be charged with a DWI based on suspicion of the arresting officer of intoxication and/or evidence gathered during the arrest.

If convicted of a DWI in New York State, drivers can face serious penalties including loss of license and employment, fines and even jail time. The stigma of a criminal DWI conviction may follow you for years to come, and will have a significant impact on future auto insurance costs and employment opportunities.

If you are caught Driving While Intoxicated in NewYork City, you will need a NYC DWI lawyer. First time offenders can face sentencing of mandatory fines of $500 to $1,000 with the possibility of up to a year in jail and a loss of their driving license for six months. A second offense within a period of 10 years will increase the mandatory fine to $1,000 to $5,000 and the prison term can be as high as four years if you are convicted of a felony DWI. A third offense in the same amount of time can result in fines of $10,000, a prison term of seven years and permanent license revocation. In the state of New York, drivers under 21 who drive with 0.02–0.07 blood alcohol content (BAC) violate the zero tolerance law and can face license suspension for six months, as well as hundreds of dollars in fines.

If you have been previously convicted of a DWI in New York in the last 10 years and are caught operating a vehicle with an illegal BAC level, you may be charged and convicted of a felony DWI.

If convicted of a DWI in New York, your employer may need to be informed that you have been charged, leading to additional consequences that can negatively affect your professional career, if not cost you your job altogether. With the help of a NY DWI Attorney, you may be able to avoid dismissal from your job and license suspension. At the very least, you may be granted the ability to drive to and from work during your suspension time.

Stephen Bilkis & Associates are highly experienced NYC DWI Lawyers. Each NYC DWI lawyer in our office has experience in the New York City Courts as well as those on Long Island. If you have been charged with a DWI in NYC and are in need of a Drunk driving attorney, call us immediately at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We offer free consultations for drivers charged with the New York State versions of DUI; DWI or DWAI.