It is frequently said that “Thanksgiving Eve,” or the night before Thanksgiving is the most popular party day of the year. This is because everyone typically goes back to their hometowns and wants to see the friends they haven’t seen since the previous year. What this also means is that the rate of drunk drivers on the road will inevitably increase because people fail to use the ride-sharing options available to them.
Law enforcement is well aware of the high levels of alcohol consumption that occurs on Thanksgiving Eve. Therefore, many municipalities will likely increase the number of sobriety checkpoints to keep drunk drivers off the road. In addition, New York State law enforcement will enlist the help of Drug Recognition Experts who will aid in determining if individuals are impaired by drugs other than alcohol. The Stop-DWI campaign’s Thanksgiving Crackdown will run between Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, November 26.
If you are charged with a DWI, it is important to understand the penalties you may face. For a first offense DWI, some of the penalties are as follows:
- 6-month license revocation
- fines ranging between $500 and $1000
- maximum jail time of up to one year
- possible enrollment in the New York Drinking Driver Program (note that you will be responsible for the applicable fees of this program)
If you have been charged with a DWI offense, contact our firm today for strong legal representation.
If you are in need of experienced legal counsel for a criminal defense matter in New York State, please contact KCS Law and we would be happy to assist you.