| The acronym DUI stands for "driving under the | | | | speech, strong odor of alcohol, and incoherence. This |
| influence," an act that is considered to be a criminal | | | | can lead to a field sobriety test, which will roughly |
| offense in plenty of countries because it poses some | | | | estimate the level of intoxication of the driver. |
| serious health hazards. It involves driving any type of | | | | If the field tests show a lack of judgment and motor |
| vehicle under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In the | | | | skills on the part of the driver, the law enforcement |
| United States alone, 39% of all vehicular accidents are | | | | officer can ask permission to perform a blood alcohol |
| attributed to DUI. Different states have different | | | | content test or BAC. This test can be done through a |
| punishments for DUI arrests. | | | | standard blood test or a special breathalyzer for a less |
| Most states developed DUI laws as a response to | | | | invasive procedure. The test should be done as soon |
| federal highway funding mandates. States are required | | | | as possible because a person's BAC decreases over |
| to define the legal age for consumption of alcohol, as | | | | time as the alcohol is processed by the liver. Once |
| well as the legal level of intoxication for drunk driving. | | | | again, states differ with regard to the legal limit of their |
| Laws governing DUI in a certain state are required so | | | | BAC. Most states have a legal limit of 0.10% BAC, but |
| as to qualify that state for assistance on federal road | | | | a lot of them have lowered their DUI limit to 0.08% |
| maintenance. Generally speaking, most states have a | | | | BAC. |
| legal drinking age of 21 years old, although there are | | | | This does not mean that drivers cannot drink anymore |
| some states that allow teens aged 18 and above to | | | | while driving. They can still drink, provided that their |
| consume alcohol. | | | | BAC does not exceed 0.02%. However, other states |
| Police and law enforcement officers cannot arrest | | | | have an absolute zero legal BAC. Once the driver |
| someone by mere suspicion of DUI alone, though they | | | | exceeds the limit imposed by the state, he or she can |
| can perform a traffic stop if they find any suspicious | | | | be immediately charged with DUI and detained in a |
| driving behavior on the part of the driver. The law | | | | holding cell until he or she becomes sober. A DUI |
| enforcement officer needs to observe for signs of | | | | suspect can refuse to take the BAC test and is |
| intoxication on the part of the driver, such as slurred | | | | allowed to call his or her lawyer for legal protection. |