Drunk driving, sometimes called driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI), has two meanings:

Driving with a blood alcohol level over the state’s maximum permissible blood alcohol limit. The limit for adults is either 0.08% or 0.10%. As of October 2000, the following 19 jurisdictions used the 0.08% standard to define drunken or impaired driving: Alabama, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington State. All other states used 0.10% except Massachusetts and South Carolina which do not use numerical limits.

In October, 2000, Congress passed a law requiring all states to adopt a limits of 0.08% by 2004 or lose some of their Federal highway funds, so it is likely that many more states will adopt that lower limit.

Apart from the general 0.08% to 0.10% limits, some states have "zero tolerance" limits for young drivers.

Most European countries have limits that are far below 0.08%. You may be considered "legally drunk" even though you do not "feel" or look as though you are under any "influence" from the alcohol .

You may also be guilty of DUI / DWI for driving when your physical abilities are impaired by drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol. In the eyes of the law, it makes no difference whether the drug is legal or illegal, prescription or over-the-counter. If taking that drug impacts your senses of seeing, hearing, talking, walking and/or judging distances, you may be guilty of a drunk driving offense.

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