On the news you hear about DUI task forces frequently and the three letters “DUI” are ever familiar yet people do not know what DUI means exactly nor do they understand the basics.

DUI simply means “driving under the influence” and by definition it means while someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs they got behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and drove. When it comes to the states may have different requirements pertaining to DUI’S but in all states it is illegal.

When you are 21 or older consuming alcohol is legal, yet driving when your blood/alcohol content is above the limit is not. This also includes illegal drugs (which is a crime itself) but also includes prescription medication as well.

Today many police officers are on the lookout for people who might be driving under the influence. Often, it is their erratic driving that will originally draw the officer’s eye to their vehicle. Typically, this is because when someone is driving under the influence of a substance their focus and reaction time may be significantly diminished.

When a law enforcement officer pulls someone over with the suspicion that it may be a DUI, they will begin by questioning the driver as to whether they are under the influence of anything. After that, it is normal for the officer to complete a field sobriety test with the driver. This is where they will test your coordination and physical reactions like walking on a straight line or standing on one foot while touching your nose with each hand. After that, if the suspicion is still fairly high that this is a case of DUI the officer may request a more specific test like a breathalyzer or even a blood test to check what your blood levels are.

It is necessary to remember that laws vary from state to state but most will allow the driver to decide which advanced test to take. There is also something called implied consent, which is found in each state. What this means is that at the time you got your license you consented to be tested if you were stopped. The point here is that driving is a privilege and you are putting many innocent people on the road and yourself in danger.

There are many consequences for DUI depending what state it occurred in. Jail stays, community service, fines, suspension of your driver’s license and probation are the more common and which depends on the severity of the infraction. Needless to say if your levels were way over the legal limit or this is not your first time for being charged with DUI you can expect to be punished more severely than a first time offender.

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