A New Hampshire driving while intoxicated (DWI) conviction can lead to numerous penalties. The courts can incarcerate a defendant who is convicted of such allegations. A judge can sentence a defendant to undergo educational programs. Probation and community service are possible in some cases.
Large fines, followed by increased insurance premiums, are also a concern. People may pay a premium that is more than 70% higher after a DWI conviction in New Hampshire. Finally, judges have the authority and often the legal obligation to suspend someone’s driver’s license because they failed a breast test, pleaded guilty to a DWI or refused a breath test after an officer arrested them.
How long could someone lose their driver’s license for after a DWI conviction?
Suspensions can last for years
Factors including someone’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of their arrest, the type of vehicle involved, whether the situation led to injuries and the prior record of the allegedly impaired driver can all influence what penalties a judge could impose when someone pleads guilty to a DWI charge.
In New Hampshire, the mandatory minimum license suspension is nine months for a first DWI conviction, although judges can reduce that license suspension period to 90 days in some cases. They could sentence someone to a two-year suspension in others. In some cases involving aggravating factors, such as excess speed or a minor passenger, the license suspension could last from between 18 months and two years.
Someone convicted of a second DWI within 10 years of the first faces more serious penalties. The minimum license suspension increases to three years. Someone accused of a felony DWI offense could face indefinite license suspension, although people can request reinstatement after seven years in some cases. Cases involving those who drive commercially for a living can involve more serious consequences for the driver, such as loss of their professional license.
Especially if someone is the primary wage earner for their family or needs to drive because of their employment, a DWI conviction could be a major setback. Learning more about the penalties that a New Hampshire criminal judge could hand down as part of a DWI sentence, including driver’s license penalties, can help people to make informed decisions about responding to any impaired driving charges that they’re facing.
