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New York DWI penalties could get tougher

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In his State of the State address earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his administration will be pushing for tougher laws against people convicted of drunk driving on more than one occasion within a certain time frame.

Currently, New Yorkers who are convicted of drunk driving twice within 10 years face a mandatory one-year driver’s license suspension in addition to other penalties.

The governor has proposed that anyone with two DWI convictions within a three-year period should face a five-year license suspension and anyone with three DWI convictions within the same time frame should lose their license permanently.

This very strict proposal has many people in the state talking.

A district attorney, who pointed out that first-time DWI offenses are down in the state, said that the governor’s proposal attempts to “get at those hard-core, repeat offenders.” He said that it would be worth a try if it “saves a few lives this year.”

A DWI defense lawyer added that results should be expected if the law changes, as losing a driver’s license drastically impacts a person’s life. Not only does it become more difficult to get around, but individuals could also potentially lose their jobs.

Whether the governor’s proposal is made into law or not, people in New York who face DWI charges need to take the accusations seriously. An experienced DWI defense lawyer can help build the best defense possible based on the circumstances of the case.

Even individuals who failed a Breathalyzer test can benefit from speaking with a lawyer. An experienced DWI defense lawyer may be able to negotiate a more favorable plea agreement with the prosecutor.

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