What Is the Difference Between DUI and DWI?

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Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI Lawyer

• DUI- driving under the influence
• DWI- driving while intoxicated/driving while impaired

According to a Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI lawyer, both DUI’s and DWI’s are related to a person who is charged with driving while not being sober. This can include alcohol, recreational drugs and prescription drugs that can impair your abilities. Neither a DUI or a DWI is worse than the other and both scenarios can ruin your life or someone else’s life.

State Definitions Differ

Different states have different definitions for DWI’s and DUI’s however both terms are related either to driving while impaired or drunk driving.

An experienced Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI lawyer will know that these terms are often confused with each other and depending on your state can have different meaning to different people. For example, in some states, DWI can refer to being intoxicated from alcohol with a BAC over the legal limit while a DUI can mean the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In other states DWI can mean driving while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or some unknown substance while DUI can mean driving under the influence of alcohol. Checking your states specific definition can help with some confusion.

Driving While Impaired

According to a Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI lawyer, a driving while impaired charge means that the person was arrested because the office had reason to believe the driver was too impaired and is not able to continue their drive. This can mean that the person may pass the BAC tests but are still cleary not able to continue driving.

Drugged impaired driving

If your breathalyzer test shows you have not been drinking but you are still clearly not sober, you officer may assume you have been taking drugs. In this case the officer has the choice of calling a Drug Recognition Expert to further investigate the state of the person driving.

A Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI lawyer may inform you that if the Drug Recognition Expert officers evaluations show that you happen to be intoxicated by drugs, you can be charged with either a DWI or a DUI. The difference in changed will depend on the state that you are in when you are pulled over.

It is important to remember that when you take prescription or nonprescription drugs, it is your responsibility to make sure you are not impaired and to read medication labels to see if the drug will impair your abilities to drive.

After an Impaired Driving Arrest

After being arrested for impaired driving, you will be facing serious consequences. First of all, you will most likely lose your driver’s license for an extended people of time. Additionally you will likely pay many fines and court fees as well as spend some time in jail.

You can get your license back, but it will be a long process of community service am defensive driving classes. Additionally you will have to undergo an evaluation of your drinking habits or substance abuse. These results can either lengthen or shorten your punishment time.

If you are involved in a DWI or DUI accident call the attorneys at Cohen & Cohen today to insure your rights and make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Call today to set up your free consultation with a trusted Hillcrest Heights, MD DWI lawyer.