What Does DUI Mean | DUI Stand For? - Bubba Head

By: William C. (Bubba) Head, Who Was Named 17 Straight Years to Super Lawyers and One of Georgia’s Four Board-Certified Attorneys in Georgia.

If you face a DUI charge in Georgia or any other state, you should understand what DUI means. In Georgia, DUI means driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It also includes driving while impaired by other substances.

Other states may use different acronyms. They might use DWI, OWI, OUI, or others to describe impaired driving.

In this guide, top DUI lawyer Bubba Head explains what DUI means. He also covers the difference between DWI and DUI. Additionally, he discusses the different acronyms that states use for driving under the influence.

DUI Definition: What DUI Means

DUI means ‘driving under the influence.’ It describes the long-standing crime of impaired driving. This includes being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or prescribed drugs. DUI is the most widely-used acronym across the states for ‘driving under the influence.’

From 2013 to 2022, about 11,000 people died each year due to drunk driving. This data comes from the National Highway Traffic Association. By far, the crash risk for drunken driving from alcohol surpasses that of the drug-impaired cases combined.

Variations of DUI Acronyms Across States

There are over ten different abbreviations for impaired driving across the 50 states and Washington, D.C..

Thirty-two states use the term DUI to mean ‘driving under the influence.’ Ten states use DWI to mean ‘driving while intoxicated’ or ‘driving while impaired.’

Five states use ‘OUI’ to refer to ‘ operating under the influence.” One state uses “OVI” in its statute to refer to impaired driving.

A couple of jurisdictions have a total one-of-a-kind acronym. The unique DUI acronym in Oregon adds the second “I” for “intoxicants.” Wyoming uses DWUI, and no other state has that abbreviation.

Also, in some states, DWI can have two meanings: Driving while impaired or Driving while intoxicated.

In Georgia, the abbreviation is DUI. However, in nearby North Carolina, they use DWI. In Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, the acronym is OUI.

Some states use OUI to exclude simply ‘driving’ from the offense and include ‘operating’ to expand the meaning onto other types of vehicles- such as snowmobiles in Maine.

Wisconsin, known as the Badger State, calls its law OWI, or operating while intoxicated. This follows Indiana’s law, which is also about operating while intoxicated.

California attorneys refer to DUI charges as a “deuce.”

Two jurisdictions have a lesser crime known as DWAI. New York and Colorado offer this less punitive criminal offense for driving under the influence of alcohol.

DUI vs. DWI: What’s the Difference?

There are some states which even have charges for both DUI and DWI. This distinction lies in the blood alcohol content (BAC), the age of the driver, and the severity of the offense.

For example, in Colorado, a DUI (Driving under the influence) charge can be brought about if a person is 21 and their BAC is .08 or above. While in that same state, a person under age 21 with a BAC of .02-.08 can be charged with a DWI (driving while intoxicated.)

So, as you can see there are multiple acronyms for the same type of crime. Driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, and operating while intoxicated are basically the same crime.

To decide which abbreviation to use, check how each state commonly refers to drunk driving or drugged driving.

DUI Definition in Georgia

In Georgia, people use DUI and DWI interchangeably, and both terms mean the same thing. While some states use DUI and DWI to refer to driving while intoxicated, Georgia does not.

Georgia’s broad wording of comprehensive language from our Legislature is adaptable to expand answering the question, “what’s a DUI?.” Besides drunk driving, DUI in Georgia can mean:

• driving while under the influence of drugs.
• driving with any amount of THC from marijuana.
• Lastly, it can refer to being affected by harmful fumes from gasoline, glue, or aerosols.

Plus, people can tag similar inhalants that cause euphoria or get “high” as the impairing substance.

Georgia law has changed in recent years to include synthetic substances such as “Molly.” The law covers all chemicals and plant materials that affect the driver’s central nervous system (CNS). This makes the person a “less safe” DUI driver.

Why Each State’s Definition is Similar

Every state, has created tough legislation against driving stoned, drunk, or driving with a higher BAC level than state law allows

Back then, police used blood tests to check blood alcohol levels. Researchers had not invented breath testing for another twenty years.

In 1910, New Mexico and New York were the first states to create DUI-DWI alcohol laws. This happened after a rise in alcohol-related crashes. Later, states saw that both alcohol-impaired driving and drugged driving were problems.

Helpful Links About Different DUI Topics: License Suspensions, Implied Consent

Links About Administrative License Suspension in Georgia

Implied Consent Statute: O.C.G.A. 40-5-55

Implied Consent Notice Wording: O.C.G.A. 40-5-67.1 Relating to Driver’s License Suspension or Revocation

Contact us online today or at 404-567-5515 to schedule an initial FREE attorney consultation.

Nolle Prosequi DUI information

National DUI-DWI Website for breakdown of the various states’ acronyms

To learn more about our top DUI attorneys in Atlanta:

Cory Yager, Ex-police officer with 8 annual recognitions by Super Lawyers

Larry Kohn, AVVO superstar with over 470 client reviews.

William C. “Bubba” Head, Top DUI Lawyer

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