| Operating a motor vehicle, or for that matter even a | | | | Drinking and driving is not the same as drunk driving or |
| bicycle or other human-powered vehicle, after | | | | the other terms mentioned earlier. Drinking and driving |
| consuming alcohol or other drugs so that mental and | | | | means driving a vehicle after consuming an alcoholic |
| motor skills are impaired is recognized as an act of | | | | beverage, or driving while consuming one. Driving after |
| driving under the influence (DUI) or drunk driving. Illegal in | | | | consuming alcohol is generally not considered illegal |
| most jurisdictions, drunk driving is responsible for a | | | | unless the driver loses his ability to drive safely as |
| large number of deaths, injuries, and accidents every | | | | defined by law. |
| year throughout the world. | | | | Even if the driver is not impaired, driving while |
| The name of the specific criminal offence, depending | | | | consuming alcohol is often illegal. In some jurisdictions, |
| on the jurisdiction, may be driving while intoxicated | | | | keeping an open container of an alcoholic beverage in |
| (DWI), operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating a | | | | the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is |
| motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI), driving under | | | | illegal. |
| the influence [of alcohol or other drugs] (DUI), or drunk | | | | In the United States, all states set a BAC limit of 0.08%. |
| in charge [of a vehicle]. Such laws are valid for boating | | | | Some states, however, slap a lesser charge, known |
| or piloting aircraft, also. | | | | usually as driving while impaired, on a BAC of around |
| The guilt of the driver may be established by | | | | 0.05%. All states charge under-21 drivers who have |
| subjective tests of his impairment, or the measurement | | | | committed a drunk driving offence if alcohol is |
| of his blood alcohol content (BAC). BAC is expressed | | | | detected in their blood (set at .00%, .01% or .02% to be |
| in terms of milligrams of alcohol per milliliters of blood, or | | | | meaningful). The limit for aircraft pilots and commercial |
| as a percentage. | | | | drivers is fixed at 0.04%. |