Although their consequences for your driving record and auto insurance may be comparable, a DUI and a DWI aren’t always the same. There is frequently a distinction between DWI and DUI.
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Driving while drunk is referred to as DWI, but driving under the influence is known as DUI. While DWI and DUI may not mean the same thing in certain states, they may in others.
In any case, you don’t want your driving history to include those three letters.
What Separates a DUI from a DWI
Driving under the influence (DUI) can refer to either driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The medications may be illicit, prescribed, or over-the-counter. Conversely, driving when inebriated or impaired is known as driving while impaired (DWI). The specific meanings vary based on your state.
No matter what the legal term, a law enforcement official may charge you with DUI or DWI if they believe you were too intoxicated to drive. Drinking, doing drugs, being tired, or other things might be the cause of the impairment.
In lieu of a DUI or DWI charge, you can be charged with operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), or driving while ability impaired (DWAI), depending on your state.
Your state may have laws prohibiting driving while intoxicated if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is at least 0.08%; Utah, on the other hand, has a 0.05% BAC limit. Drunk driving is regarded as a misdemeanor in many places, although repeat offenders may be charged with felonies.
Additionally, if your BAC is at least 0.15%, you may face harsher penalties in several states. A breathalyzer, blood test, or urine test is usually used to determine BAC.
Remember that even if your car isn’t moving but you’re in the driver’s seat, you may still face charges of drunk driving in several states. Driving a watercraft, moped, motorized scooter, bicycle, or lawnmower while in control of any of these vehicles may potentially result in charges of DUI, DWI, or other related offenses.
Drug and Alcohol-Related Driving Laws
Take American legal terminology, for example, to get an idea of how intricate state DUI laws may get. Among them are:
Typically, driving while intoxicated (DWI) requires a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.08%. In the US, the threshold for commercial drivers is 0.04%.
A BAC of at least 0.18% is required for aggravated driving while intoxicated, or aggravated DWI.
Driving while intoxicated (DWAI/alcohol) is defined as having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.05% but less than 0.07%.
DWI/drug is the acronym for driving while impaired by a single substance, other than alcohol.
Driving while under the combined influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DWAI/combination).
The state’s zero-tolerance policy allows drivers under 21 years old to face charges if they are accused of operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.02% to 0.07%.
In the US, driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs carries jail time, fines, and suspension of driving rights.
Your auto insurance will often be terminated if you lose your driver’s license.
The laws of the United States are only one instance. States have different laws and punishments regarding driving while intoxicated or under the influence. For example, you may face a nine-month license suspension in Wisconsin or a one-year license suspension in Georgia and Tennessee if you are found guilty of your first DUI conviction.
After a DUI, How Much Do Auto Insurance Rates Increase?
After a DUI, you should anticipate an increase in your auto insurance premiums. We discovered that 74% is the average rate increase nationwide. Insurance companies consider a driver with a DUI conviction to be more dangerous than one without one. Therefore, even one DUI conviction can cause your premiums to soar.
Is an SR-22 Required Following a DUI Conviction?
Increased premiums are not the only expense. After a DUI, your state may additionally mandate that you get SR-22 insurance. An SR-22 attests to your valid auto insurance. These license plates are intended for high-risk drivers, such those with a DUI conviction. An FR-44 certificate is used in Virginia and Florida instead, although it functions similarly to an SR-22.
For the certificate, you will have to pay the insurance company a cost of around $25, regardless of whether it is a FR-44 or an SR-22. States have different requirements for how long you must keep an SR-22, but generally speaking, it’s three years.
What is the duration of a DUI’s entry on your insurance record?
In most jurisdictions, a DUI affects your auto insurance premiums and remains on your record for three or five years.
A DUI may potentially have an impact on your auto insurance for years to come, even if the penalty may disappear from your premiums after three to five years. In United States, for instance, you won’t be qualified for a 20% good driver discount until ten years following a DUI.
