Drunk driving is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash.
Police officers in Connecticut, United States, conduct a field sobriety test on a suspected drunk driver.
A law enforcement grade Breathalyzer, specifically an Alco-Sensor IV
An ignition interlock device (red arrow) in a Scania bus
US poster from 1994 with the message that "drinking and driving don't mix"
Drunk driving in the United States
Drunk driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle with the operator's ability to do so impaired as a result of alcohol consumption, or with a blood alcohol level in excess of the legal limit. For drivers 21 years or older, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is illegal. For drivers under 21 years old, the legal limit is lower, with state limits ranging from 0.00 to 0.02. Lower BAC limits apply when operating boats, airplanes, or commercial vehicles. Among other names, the criminal offense of drunk driving may be called driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated or impaired (DWI), operating [a] vehicle under the influence of alcohol (OVI), or operating while impaired (OWI).
1937 WPA drunk driving poster
Ohio DUI plate
Minnesota drunk driver plate
By comparison, a regular Minnesota plate has colored graphics.
