What a DWI Conviction Means in New York State

A DWI conviction in here in Central New York is a serious, humiliating, and expensive offense. In the difficult moments after your DWI arrest, you worry over skyrocketing insurance rates, loss of driving rights, and expensive legal fees.

We thought that a good way to discourage you from taking the chance might be some straightforward information about DWI.

Typical Alcohol Violations in New York State

The list of violations and penalties in New York is long, so we included a brief summary. Click here to see the complete list of violations and penalties at the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.

• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI): .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) or higher or other evidence of intoxication. Mandatory fine: $500-$1,000. License revoked for at least 6 months.
• Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (Aggravated DWI): .18 BAC or higher. Mandatory fine: $1,000-$2,000. License revoked for at least one year.
• Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol (DWAI/Alcohol): more than .05 BAC but less than .07 BAC, or other evidence of impairment. Mandatory fine: $300-$500. License suspended for 90 days.
• Chemical Test Refusal: A driver who refuses to take a chemical test (normally a test of breath, blood, or urine).
• Zero Tolerance Law: A driver who is less than 21 years of age and who drives with a .02 BAC to .07 BAC

DMV also lists 5 conditions that affect the level of impairment in a driver. They are:

• The amount of alcohol you drink
• The amount of food you eat before or while you drink alcohol
• The length of time you drink alcohol
• Your body weight
• Your gender

Thing is, there is no fast way to become sober. You need to wait till your body absorbs all the alcohol. And the average rate your body processes alcohol is about one drink per hour.

What About the Car Insurance?

As you can imagine, a DWI conviction carries maximum surcharges on your car insurance. Companies will non-renew the first chance they get. Some of our carriers have non-standard rates that we can quote you. Or, we also have access to the New York State Assigned Risk Plan. But no matter where we place your car insurance, it will be expensive.

We’ve written more about alcohol and your health here. We talk about what counts as a drink and how many drinks signify low risk levels of alcohol use for most people. And how many drinks are too many. Take a look at that for another perspective on drinking alcohol.

The upshot for us here is that local police departments are not sympathetic to drunk drivers. So no matter how many drinks you consume, don’t drive. Get someone else who is sober to do the driving. Or hire Uber, Lyft, or a taxi.

Believe us, when it comes to drunk driving, you don’t want the grief!

Until next time,
Your SZW Team

SZW Insurance is your Utica area Trusted Choice™ independent insurance agent. Call us for a quote on insurance for your home, car, business, or life at 315.792.0000. Or request a quote here.