Reader’s Question:

What are the penalties for drunk driving in New York and California?

Kimberly

New York City NY

 

Since driving while intoxicated is highly dangerous, different laws have been put in place to deter people from doing the offense. These laws include guidelines, as well as, information on the different penalties for drunk driving. Every state has its own set of penalties. Some may be the same while others are not. Some are light, others could be harsh. The basic similarity is that states would exercise more leniency on first time offenders compared to those who have been caught with the same offense more than once.

In the New York State, for example, the penalties for drunk driving on the first offense will be considered a misdemeanor. The convicted driver will be fined between $500 to a thousand dollars with up to a year of jail time. The driver’s license will be suspended for at least six months with no provisions for reinstatement within that period. The penalties for drunk driving get stiffer on the second offense. The fines will go up to $5,000 while there is a mandatory 10-day minimum of jail sentence or 60 days for community service. For the third offense, the fines rise to up to $10,000 while jail time could be up to seven years. License suspension could also be for a longer period.

In California, the penalties are more lenient compared to that of New York. First time offenders are only fined between $390 to $1,000 with jail time of up to six months. There is, however, a mandatory 96 hours of cooling your heels behind bars. In terms of license suspension, California allows for the restriction to be lifted once and SR-22 form has been filed and the driver has attended the state’s DUI program. For the second and third offenses, the fines are the same. The jail time increases but not for than a year. The mandatory days in jail though are 90 days and 120 days, respectively.