According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicle, a person’s gender, their body weight and the amount of alcohol they consumed can impact their level of intoxication. Whether they consumed any food either before or while drinking and how long it took for them to finish the food may also affect how responsive they are to stimuli as well.
Anyone can become intoxicated from alcohol, even if they think that they have a high tolerance for it. How quickly your body absorbs an alcoholic beverage varies depending on the person. A standard rule is that it generally takes about an hour to process a drink through the average person’s digestive system.
What constitutes a DWI in New York
A motorist who has a 0.08 percent or higher blood alcohol content (BAC) can be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in New York. Commercial drivers may be arrested for the same crime with a BAC of just 0.04 percent.
DWI charges become aggravated ones when a motorist is found to have a 0.18 BAC. Any motorist under 21 years of age that is found to be driving with a 0.02 percent or higher BAC is deemed to have violated the state’s Zero Tolerance Laws.
Penalties for New York DWI violations
First time offenders of New York’s DWI laws face up to $1,000 in fines, up to a year in jail and the suspension of their license for as long as six months. Third time offenders can face as much as $10,000 in fines, seven years in prison and loss of their privilege to drive for a year.
Aggravated DWI offenses often result in the same fines and prison sentences, but the license revocation period lasts a bit longer, possibly up to 18 months.
Those drivers who refuse chemical testing may have to pay as much as $300 in fines and have their license revoked for as long as a year. Zero Tolerance Law offenders may face up to $225 in fines and have their license suspended as long as a year.
While the penalties associated with drunk driving offenses in New York may seem relatively small, they can have a much larger, lasting impact on your life. That’s why it’s important to have a Mahopac DWI attorney on hand to advise you as to how your drunk driving conviction impacts you outside of the courtroom.
