Your DWI Crosses State Lines in New York

Gone are the days when a crime committed in one state could be left in that state, which is a relief when you think about it. “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” is no longer the way the U.S. operates, especially when it comes to drunk driving. With the interstate compact and the ease of information sharing today, your Boston vacation DWI will definitely count against you when you get back home to New York… and then you’ll have two states’ worth of consequences to face.

Any out-of-state DWI will affect your New York driver’s license. You won’t have to go to court in New York for an out-of-state DWI court charge (you’ve already got another state waiting for your appearance, after all), but the New York State DMV will take away your license for at least 90 days. From there, you will have to coordinate with an ignition interlock service provider to fulfill any requirement that the New York DMV may hand to you, the state your DWI occurred in may have, or a combination of both.

That may seem like a lot to go through after a DWI in any state, but, since New York has some of the toughest requirements after an in-state drunk driving conviction, you’re probably lucky to just have a license suspension.

Even though different states have different DWI laws, your home state can (and will) impose its own set of requirements if you’re guilty, just like New York does. That means that even when you’re on vacation, on a business trip or visiting family, your DWI will cross state lines and you’ll have both states “on your case” if you drink and drive. When you consider the difficulties of a drunk driving conviction in your state, or in any state, it’s just easier to always stay sober when driving, no matter where you are.