In New York, there are two main “drunk driving offense”, DWI and DWAI. In fact, many New York drivers may not know there are key differences between a DWI and DUI.ĭUI or Driving under the Influence, is a common legal term used by many states, New York does not actually use the term. This is one of the most common questions the we receive.Īlmost everyone has heard the terms DWI and DUI, and many think that both are interchangeable. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DWAI, DWI, AND DUI? Click here for more information from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles on DWAIs. For example, if you receive three DWAIs in ten years, you could be looking at $10,000 in fines and 7 years in prison. Repeated DWAIs can result in more serious repercussions. Mandatory Driver’s License Action: Suspended for at least six months.Mandatory Driver’s License Action: Suspended for 90 days.The repercussions for the first DWAI a driver receives are:

As outlined by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, a driver qualifies for a DWAI/Alcohol if they have more than a. These are Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol, Driving While Ability Impaired by a Single Drug Other Than Alcohol, and Driving While Ability Impaired by a Combined Influence of Drugs or Alcohol. In New York state, there are three different kinds of DWAIs. With years of experience navigating these complicated charges, they’ve tackled some of the most common questions about DWAIs for your information.ĭWAI stands for Driving While Ability Impaired. Not sure what the difference is between a DWAI, DWI, and DUI? Or looking to learn more about what qualifies as a DWAI? Your Syracuse DWI team has outlined these offenses for you below.

What is driving while impaired in nys