DUI (driving under the influence), DWI (driving while intoxicated) or OUI (operating under the influence)? Whatever your state calls it, driving under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offense whether you’re driving for work or pleasure — and those with a CDL are held to a higher standard than those with a regular driver’s license. Read on to learn more about DUI and DWI, and whether you might need a CDL DWI / DUI lawyer.
To be arrested or convicted for a DWI, it doesn’t necessarily have to be what most of us commonly think of as “drunk driving”: Even if you don’t feel that the alcohol you’ve consumed has had any effect on you and you don’t feel impaired, a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater is enough to get you arrested and convicted of this offense. And if you are a CDL driver with a DWI, you might wonder how this affects your career.
Because a commercial driver has extra responsibility to the public, a CDL driver has higher standards to live up to. Thus, while a blood alcohol content of .08 qualifies as DWI for a regular driver, a CDL driver with a blood alcohol level of .04 while operating a commercial vehicle can be charged with DWI.
Being charged with a CDL DUI or DWI can cause a commercial driver to lose his or her license — and thus his or her livelihood. The stakes are far higher for CDL drivers who drink and drive. But there’s help: An experienced CDL DWI attorney can help determine whether the blood alcohol test results were accurate, whether the police had probable cause to pull you over, and other factors that may help minimize the damage caused by your DWI or DUI arrest.
DWI, DUI or OUI laws vary from state to state. The following DWI and DUI resources, lists of DWI laws by state, and commonly asked questions about DWI/DUI are helpful whether you have a CDL or a regular driver’s license:
General resources to help you, your friends, or your family, plot a course for the individual arrested for a DUI.
Find your state below to get in-depth information about the laws and penalties for DUI.
