It is common for those convicted of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) offense in New York to temporarily lose their driving privileges. License suspension is among the standard penalties a judge will impose when someone pleads guilty or the courts convict them of a DWI.
The number of previous infractions in someone’s background, their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of their arrest and other factors, like the presence of minor children in the vehicle, can all influence the specific charges someone faces and the penalties that the state decides to impose. Losing your license can be very inconvenient, and the suspension of your license doesn’t always end with you regaining full driving privileges.
Sometimes, New York requires that you install an ignition interlock device (IID) in your vehicle to regain driving privileges after a DWI offense. Will such requirements affect you if you plead guilty to a DWI charge?
Even first-time offenders may need to install an IID
New York has a relatively expansive IID program, in part because lawmakers expanded the law in response to a fatal drunk driving collision years ago. A judge now has the discretion to order the installation of an IID in any vehicle that someone will drive when they regain driving privileges.
Those with multiple offenses on their record and a high BAC at the time of their arrests may be subject to IID requirements for longer than first-time offenders. Most drivers can expect to maintain an IID in their vehicles for at least 12 months after regaining restricted driving privileges.
How an IID can help you
While they are frequently a source of frustration, budgetary strain and embarrassment, IIDs can be beneficial for the person accused of impaired driving. Habitually testing yourself for alcohol before driving helps establish a clear history of sober vehicle operation, which will pave the way to fully regaining your driving privileges.
Of course, for most people, avoiding a criminal conviction would be far superior to coping with the criminal penalties imposed by the courts. Defending yourself against DWI charges can help you protect your license and potentially avoid the requirement to install an IID in your vehicle.