Drunk Driving

Drunk driving which is also frequently referred to as DUI (driving under the influence), DWI (driving while intoxicated), OWI (operating while impaired), or OVI (operating a vehicle under the influence) is the act of operating any type of motorized vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The specific definition of "drunk driving" may differ in each state, and it is illegal in every state to operate a motorized vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration or BAC which is equal to or greater than 0.08%. It is also illegal to operate a motorized vehicle, while physically or mentally impaired due to consumption of a controlled substance, a dangerous drug, a combination of drugs or alcohol regardless of the driver's blood alcohol concentration levels.

Law enforcement officers have the legal authority to stop drivers they believe are driving drunk. Suspicions may be aroused by erratic driving such as driving the wrong direction, frequently stopping and starting, driving with the headlights turned off or weaving in and out of traffic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published a list of behaviors which are widely used by law enforcement officers across the United States to detect drunk drivers. Officers who detect suspicious activities have the legal authority to stop the driver and begin their drunken driving investigation.