Drivers charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in New Jersey can expect a laundry list of penalties. These include license suspensions, fines, jail time and a requirement to install an ignition interlock device in your car.
But in addition to these penalties, a court can order a DWI driver to attend sessions with an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC). What exactly happens during these sessions?
Treatment and education for drivers
A New Jersey court can order a driver convicted of DWI to spend two consecutive days in IDRC, each lasting at least six hours. During the two-day program, drivers will be educated on alcohol and drug intoxication and their impacts on driving ability. The center will also screen and monitor their conditions and refer drivers to treatment centers for alcoholism or drug dependency.
The costs of IDRC
But undergoing IDRC sessions isn’t free. Drivers ordered to participate must pay the IDRC they’re attending a $264 fee if it’s their first offense. If it’s their second time attending, drivers must pay an even higher $321 fee. The IDRC might also ask the driver to pay a $100 attendance fee to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and another $100 fee to restore their license.
Attending IDRC sessions can be helpful for drivers struggling to keep their alcoholism or substance addictions in check. But they’re still part of a DWI conviction, which comes with jail time, license revocations and other fines. Drivers charged with DWI should consider consulting with a legal professional to learn if going through IDRC can help with their issues and if anything can be done about the other penalties they face if convicted.