New York DWI Car Impoundment

If you have recently been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in New York, you may be wondering about what punishment you will receive if convicted. You may be sentenced to incarceration, fines, probation, driver’s license revocation, and car impoundment. A DWI defense attorney can provide you with more information about the penalties you may face.

Having your car impounded means that your vehicle is taken from you and held in state custody until the impoundment period expires and you are allowed to retrieve your car. You may have to pay the impoundment fees out of pocket in order to get your vehicle back.

New York has passed car impoundment laws in order to keep DUI offenders from driving their vehicles with a suspended or revoked license. This punishment is typically given only to habitual offenders. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 18% of fatal vehicle accidents involve an improperly licensed driver, while drivers with one or more DWI convictions are more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a one-time offender.

While car impoundment is an effective way to ensure that the offender doesn’t drink and drive, it is not without its drawbacks. Several problems with car impoundment have prevented it from becoming a widely used DWI penalty. For example, if an offender cannot cover the costs of towing and storing his or her car, and it isn’t worth enough to recuperate these costs when sold, the state ends up losing money.

Car impoundment can also punish the whole family. If the offender shared a vehicle with other family members, impounding it can create hardship for everyone involved.

There is also the matter of storing the car. Because storage space is limited, car impoundment can become expensive, especially in large cities.

If you are worried about car impoundment, you should speak with a New York DWI attorney regarding your case. Your attorney will discuss the penalties associated with a drunk-driving charge and can offer advice on how to proceed with your case. To speak with a local attorney, fill out our online form today.