NH DUI – With winter over and spring in the air, the people in New Hampshire are preparing for the summer tourist season. With its slender shape, much of this state’s residents live within twenty miles of a state line. And with tax-free sales, charming commercial districts, and bountiful natural activity, we attract swarms of tourists each year during the spring, summer, and fall.
In recent years people have come to learn that the people in New Hampshire consume nearly twice the volume of alcohol compared to the national average. The combination of alcohol and tourism means that a number of people from another state will get caught and convicted for DUI. In response, New Hampshire cannot confiscate an out-of-state license, but it can suspend or revoke that person’s privilege to drive within its borders.
As you can imagine, figuring out what will happen to that person’s license from there is no easy task. Each state has its own way of handling out-of-state suspensions on top of the consequences imposed by New Hampshire. Some do little-to-nothing, others have consequences more severe than our court.
Determining what your state will do
In an effort to simplify things, states across the country have put together uniform laws for everyone to follow. There are three out there: the Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC), the Driver License Compact (DLC), and a joint effort to replace both of those called the Driver License Agreement (DLA). All but six states are members of the NRVC, all but five are members of the DLC, and only three are members of the DLA. Even those states who are members of one or more of the compacts have different ways of complying with the compact. For example, member-states will assess points on a person’s license for any kind of out-of-state driving conviction. But Pennsylvania, which is a member, will not assess any points except for certain major driving convictions. Similarly, a state’s reaction to a New Hampshire DUI suspension can vary even among members of the same compacts.
Complying with the New Hampshire DUI laws
Anyone convicted of DUI in New Hampshire must go through the “Impaired Driver Care Management Program” or IDCMP. This program first requires a person to attend a screening and evaluation to determine the likelihood that a person has a substance use disorder. If the screening or evaluation is positive, the program administrators will develop a service plan that requires weekly, one-hour one-on-one sessions with a licensed treatment provider. Then, the person must complete an alcohol education program.
Naturally, the in-state residents will have a much easier time accomplishing this because of their proximity to the service providers. But with the right guidance and anticipation, residents of different states can meet the requirements in their home state by demonstrating the equivalency of local practitioners. If this is still not feasible, there’s a way to use a hybrid of the NH and out-of-state services to meet the requirements. Each of these options, however, require some preparation and anticipation in order to meet court-imposed deadlines. Being ready for this process is the only way to ensure that you reinstate your license as early as possible. Getting the help you need involves more than in-court theatrics. Get a NH DUI attorney with the experience to navigate the New Hampshire driver’s license rules and laws. To get started, call us at Douglas, Leonard & Garvey, P.C., (603) 288-1403 or fill out our online contact form