You may have heard the term DWI, and DUI used, but they mean the same thing. DWI is short for driving while intoxicated. DUI is short for driving under the influence. In California, DUI is the most commonly used term.
Whether you call it a DUI or DWI, the charge means that a law enforcement officer thought you were too intoxicated to drive. It can apply to mental illness, drugs, alcohol, or even being too tired to drive. In most states, these terms are used interchangeably, even if one is used more often. Some states use these terms for different offenses. In those states, a DWI is more serious than a DUI and carries harsher penalties. In those states, a DUI would indicate that the driver had alcohol before driving, but a DWI would indicate that the driver was drunk or over the legal BAC.
Other states use different terms altogether. Here are some common terms:
- DWI – Driving while intoxicated
- DUI – Driving under the influence
- OWI – Operating while intoxicated
- OUI – Operating under the influence
- DWAI – Driving while ability impaired
California law uses the term DUI for all of the above types of offenses. The term applies to anyone who is seen to be intoxicated while driving, even if their BAC is within legal limits. The court only needs to show proof that you were driving while impaired. This could be a high BAC score or dashcam footage of you driving erratically and a law enforcement officer’s testimony. Even though California refer to DUIs, many of the legal resources will refer to both DUIs and DWIs because California has a lot of people visit and move here from other states.
Will My Insurance Rates Increase From a DUI or DWI?
It depends on your insurance company, but yes, many insurance companies will raise your coverage costs or refuse to cover you after you receive a DUI. This is because a DWI can cause significant damage to your car as well as other property and may even cause injuries and death to others. A driver who drives while intoxicated is a liability to insurance companies and could cause huge payouts in the future.
Other penalties of a DUI or DWI include:
- License suspension
- Loss of license
- Fines
- Community service
- Probation
- Jail sentence
- Installation of an ignition interlock device in your car
The penalties you receive will depend on the circumstances of your DUI.
DWI Statistics
The reason DUIs and DWIs have severe penalties is because they often cause destruction of property and death. NHTSA released a report in 2016 that said someone dies every 50 minutes because of drunk driving. Here are some additional statistics from that illuminating report:
- 32% of DUI crashes cause fatalities
- 28% of all fatal accidents in 2016 involved alcohol
- Alcohol-related crashes cost over $44 billion a year
- Over a million drivers were arrested for DWIs in 2016