Summer is rapidly approaching with the unofficial kick-off of the season this Memorial Day Weekend. New York State law enforcement is well aware that summer holiday weekends are full of celebrations and many of those events involve the consumption of alcohol. It is important that anyone who makes the decision to consume alcohol this weekend establishes a way to get home safely and doesn’t make the decision to drive while intoxicated.
Law enforcement in New York State has announced that they plan to crackdown on those who make the decision to drink and drive. There will be sobriety checkpoints across the state this weekend between May 26 and May 29, 2017. Police departments will also be conducting driving while intoxicated enforcement programs on other holiday weekends this summer. These include June 30 through July 4, 2017, and again from August 18 through September 4, 2017, for Labor Day celebrations.
If you are found to be driving while intoxicated, you can expect to face serious consequences for violating the state laws. For a first offense DWI charge, you will receive a fine between $500 and $1,000, face up to one year in jail, and also have your driver’s license revoked for at least six months. Your best bet is to simply not drink and drive at all. Many municipalities offer free rides during holiday weekends to lessen the number of intoxicated drivers on New York’s roads. If these are not available, make sure you have a designated driver, call an Uber or taxi, or stay the night wherever you are. While we encourage everyone to have an enjoyable holiday weekend, we also encourage safety.
Contact The Law Office of Raji S. Zeidan, PC today to schedule a consultation if you are in need of strong legal representation for any of your criminal defense and personal injury matters.