The driver’s responsibility assessment represents an additional fine imposed on traffic offenders whose violations add up over time. Even apart from drunk driving cases, a motorist with several tickets within an 18-month period will probably face an extra $300 fine under the New York Driver Responsibility Program. The number of traffic offense points necessary to trigger the assessment is half the number necessary to result in license suspension.

Driver’s Responsibility Assessment In New York

In a DWI case, the driver’s responsibility assessment is $750. This sum can be paid over a three-year period with annual payments of $250. This amount is independent of any fines that the court might order as part of a drunk driving sentence. To get a specific idea of the actual and potential financial cost of a drunk driving conviction in your situation, contact Greenspan & Greenspan P.C. in White Plains or New City.

Our attorneys have advised people charged with DWI in Westchester and Rockland counties since our firm was established in 1959, and we have seen the cost of drunk driving rise steadily over the years. The driver’s responsibility assessment was introduced in 2004, and ever since then, the court costs and surcharges imposed on DWI defendants have also increased.

As a result, you can expect to pay surcharges and assessments that could total $1,200 or more in addition to any court-ordered fine provided in the DWI statutes. Our lawyers can advise you about these costs and how they might vary under the facts of your case.

The driver’s responsibility assessment does not need to be paid all at once. Many drivers pay one-third of the assessment over three consecutive years. The $750 fee/assessment that applies in DWI cases applies in breath test refusal cases as well whether you were convicted of DWI.

Talk To A White Plains Lawyer

To find out the specific cost of a DWI conviction in your situation and the best ways to keep the financial burden as low as possible, contact Greenspan & Greenspan P.C. in White Plains or New City for a free initial consultation.