| Across the USA, the most common crime booked in a | | | | picnics, outings, sporting events, family gatherings, and |
| year, by far, is DUI. Driving while intoxicated is no minor | | | | vacations. |
| matter. A person can get anything from a warning to | | | | All people of drinking age must note that in some |
| jail time. DUI can start as a misdemeanor and escalate | | | | states the DUI laws apply to impaired operation of any |
| into a felonious crime by degree; however, no matter | | | | / all motorized vehicles, boats, and bicycles. In addition, |
| what degree of culpability you face, DUI can turn your | | | | in some states, DUI laws are in effect even if you are |
| world upside-down. | | | | not operating a vehicle, but sleeping or sitting behind the |
| Laws on the books for DUI are very clear-cut; but | | | | wheel of the parked vehicle. All have some type of |
| they are not uniform across the country. Each state | | | | open container law. |
| has variations on DUI penalties. Most states address | | | | It is a vehicle operators' responsibility to know the |
| underage drinking very strictly, and repeat offenders | | | | driving laws, in effect, in the state in which they drive. |
| very strictly. Depending on the degree of impairment, | | | | Driving laws are fluid and change with time. There is |
| and the conditions at the scene, all states have laws | | | | currently a trend in the US for DUI laws to be made |
| that make extreme drunk driving a criminal offense | | | | more strict. Drinking ages have gone up while alcohol |
| and a felony. | | | | blood levels have gone down. First time offenses have |
| The DUI laws have a commonality in the following | | | | gone from a warning or insignificant punishment to jail |
| areas. DWUI starts under between .08 to .10 blood | | | | time and heavy fines across the US. |
| alcohol levels, and then kicks into DUI at between .08 | | | | The safest way to have a good time, and drink to any |
| to .10 blood alcohol levels. These levels are doubly | | | | degree and avoid a DUI nightmare is to drink and not |
| indemnifying for all drivers in the US less than 21 years | | | | drive at all, but stay where you're drinking. On the other |
| of age. Depending on the state, a person may have | | | | hand, always have a designated driver. Drinking in the |
| their driver's license suspended any length of time from | | | | US has gone from a party time to a type of Russian |
| seven days to three years. Fines for DUI across the | | | | roulette. The DUI laws across the country guarantee, if |
| country range from $250.00 to $2500.00. | | | | you're a drinker, and you drive, it is only a matter of |
| Studies have shown, in the US, August is the worst | | | | time before you're actually caught. The laws are |
| month for DUI charges. It seems the ticketing level for | | | | definitely uniformly designed to guarantee, once you've |
| DWUI and DUI spikes this one month of the year; even | | | | faced the DUI maze most of you will never drink and |
| higher than during holidays. More than hard liquor and | | | | drive again. |
| wine together, beer is drunk during summer heat, | | | | |