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What happens if I receive a DWI vacationing outside of Virginia?

For many people, alcohol and vacation go hand in hand. Your plan is to spend the week at the beach enjoying cocktails or maybe to throw back some beers while attending an out-of-town tournament featuring your favorite sports team.

Unfortunately, people may go a bit further than they should well on vacation. The desire to indulge might lead to someone having far more beers in one sitting than they would usually consume. They might also then find themselves without anyone they know nearby to call for support.

People on vacation might make the bad choice of driving back to their hotel, only to get arrested. You may feel like you cannot defend yourself because you don’t have the luxury of traveling back to your vacation destination to attend court. Will a drunk driving offense from another state have any effect on you once you return to Virginia?

If you have a standard license

For most people with a standard driver’s license, the most frustrating consequence of a drunk driving charge might be the loss of their license. Virginia will suspend the license of those convicted of an impaired driving offense, including those convicted of an offense in another state.

It may take some time for Virginia authorities to learn about the infraction. However, when they learn about it, you will likely face the suspension of your license for at least a year. Your insurance rates will likely also increase.

If you have a commercial license

Federal rules might make you ineligible for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) even if you were on vacation and in your own vehicle at the time of your arrest.

While you won’t be subject to the very strict and much lower blood alcohol concentration limits that apply to commercial drivers, you can easily get arrested because you had a few too many beers before heading back to your hotel. You will likely lose your eligibility at the federal level, in addition to having your standard driver’s license suspended temporarily.

For some people, working with an attorney in the state where they got arrested may be the best solution. If you already plead guilty, there may be hope for you here in Virginia. You could potentially attend a hearing to regain your driving privileges. Understanding the likely consequences of drunk driving charges can lead to a more effective response.

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