What is DUI

DUI or Driving Under the Influence (driving while intoxicated, drunk driving, operating under the influence, drinking and driving, drink-driving, impaired driving) is the act of operating any motorized machinery after/during consuming alcohol or other drugs. DUI or DWI are synonymous terms that represent the criminal offense of operating (or in some jurisdictions merely being in physical control of) a motor vehicle while being under the influence of alcohol or drugs or a combination of both.  It is a criminal offense in most countries.

All American states have also enacted per se laws that prohibit operating (or in some jurisdictions merely being in physical control of) a motor vehicle while having a specific blood alcohol content (BAC) level. One can be prosecuted under the per se laws whether or not they are actually "impaired" or "under the influence" of alcohol.

In most countries, anyone who is convicted of injuring or killing someone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be heavily fined, as in France, in addition to being given a lengthy prison sentence. Many states in the U.S. have adopted truth in sentencing laws that enforce strict guidelines on sentencing. For example, if a defendant is sentenced to ten years, he or she will be in prison for that entire time. This is different from past practice where prison time was reduced or suspended after sentencing had been issued.

The specific criminal offense may be called, depending on the jurisdiction, driving under intense influence (DUII), driving while intoxicated (DWI), operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI), driving under the influence [of alcohol or other drugs] (DUI), driving under the combined influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, driving under the influence per se or drunk in charge [of a vehicle]. Other less common acronyms include ("OVI"), "operating a vehicle (while) impaired," and ("DWAI"), "Driving While Ability Impaired." Many such laws apply also to boating, piloting aircraft, riding a horse or conducting a horse-drawn vehicle, or cycling.

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_under_the_influence

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