Depending on the state, there may be a difference between a DUI charge and a DWI charge. DUI stands for Driving Under the Influence and can refer to a broad range of circumstances. Usually, any situation in which you are considered impaired by drugs or alcohol can lead to a DUI charge. Of note is the fact that a DUI charge can be brought against people who are impaired by legally prescribed medication in addition to illegal drugs or alcohol. As such, DUI can be used as an umbrella term to catch any individual who is in any way impaired when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
By contrast, DWI stands for Driving While Intoxicated. Intoxication is a specific legal threshold for an individual’s BAC beyond which they are considered to be intoxicated. For most states, the legal threshold is a BAC of 0.08 or 8%. The lone exception is Utah, which lowered the bar to only 5% alcohol by volume. Some states also have a “zero tolerance” threshold for minors. This harsher intoxication limit sets the bar far lower and can classify a minor as intoxicated if their BAC is higher than 0.00 or 0.02, depending on the state