What is a DUI? (+Penalties in 2025)

What is a DUI? A DUI, or driving under the influence, occurs when a driver operates a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications.

The legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08%, but impairment can still occur at lower levels, especially with drugs. DUI charges carry serious consequences, including fines, license suspension, and possible jail time.

In addition, a DUI conviction can significantly increase your car insurance rates, with some drivers facing hikes of over 70%. DUI definition and its penalties vary by state, but the effects are far-reaching.

A DUI can impact your driving record, employment, and personal finances. If you’re dealing with a DUI or want to know how it affects your insurance, it’s essential to explore your options. Enter your ZIP code above to learn how a DUI can influence auto insurance premiums and coverage.

Definition of a DUI Charge

At its heart, a DUI charge means you were caught endangering yourself and others by driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. DUIs are a serious problem. In 2019, 10,142 people lost their lives to DUI. However, there is some good news.

Through concentrated efforts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and programs like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), DUIs in America are at an all-time low. Still, DUIs and DWIs plague America’s roads.

Although DUI consequences differ by state, the offense is defined consistently nationwide: a driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher is considered impaired. Ohio’s BAC of 0.08% or more also qualifies as “legally impaired.”

Read More: What is a DWI?

Understanding Blood Alcohol Content

In simple terms, BAC measures how much alcohol is in your bloodstream. This number is used to define DUI level or the level of intoxication legally. Your BAC is the number of grams of ethanol per 100 milliliters of blood. You’re legally considered intoxicated at a BAC of 0.08, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel drunk.

People experience drunkenness differently based on their tolerance and body, so it’s essential to know how many drinks will get you to a 0.08 BAC. If a cop pulls you over and finds you at the legal limit, they won’t care if you say you don’t feel drunk.

A standard drink adds around 0.02 to your BAC, meaning you’ll be legally drunk after four drinks. A standard drink includes:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 5 ounces of liquor

There are a lot of myths out there about how to sober up quickly, including coffee, cold showers, or sports drinks. However, there is only one-way alcohol leaves your body: time. For every hour that passes, your BAC drops by about 0.015. That means that your body needs over an hour to process every alcoholic beverage you drink.

Read More: What an Alcohol Detection Systems Mandate Would Mean

Comparing DUI vs. DWI Severity

Although they mean different things (DWI stands for driving while impaired), they’re equally as bad. The main difference between DUI vs. DWI depends on your state. Some states don’t differentiate between the two, while others do.

For states that define them differently, a DWI is usually reserved for drug charges. In states with separate charges for DWI and DUI, DWI is generally the worst of the two. Some states allow first-time offenders to lower their DWI charges to a DUI. Others, like Texas, have zero tolerance and charge anyone over 21 with a DWI.

Other states use DUI to refer to reckless drivers under 0.08 BAC and reserve DWI for drivers over the legal limit.

Consequences of a DUI

The most common reason people get arrested is because of DUI. DUIs aren’t like regular traffic citations, like speeding tickets or stopping failures. A DUI can stay with you for years and affect several aspects of your life, including:

• Driver’s license suspension. You can lose your license over a DUI, sometimes on your first offense, for up to two years. That leaves you without transportation for work, school, errands, and other responsibilities.
• Employment. If your job requires you to drive and you lose your license, you won’t be able to work. Additionally, most driving jobs have rules about DUIs, even if you don’t lose your license.
• Background checks. A felony or misdemeanor DUI will show up in your background. It’s not just employers that do background checks – apartments, college financial aid applications, and school admissions also conduct these kinds of reviews.
• Insurance rates. Getting a DUI automatically makes you a high-risk driver, and you’ll pay for it when it comes to insurance. Some companies will terminate your coverage altogether. You can at least expect your rates to double or triple for several years.

Additionally, you’ll have a DUI on your driving record. Some states will remove DUIs from your history after a few years, while others are there for the rest of your life.

How Long a DUI Stays on Your Record

Once a DUI falls off your record (if it does), you’ll probably be eligible for lower insurance rates, and the DUI will stop appearing on background checks.

Read More: How Auto Insurance Companies Check Driving Records

DUI Resulting in Death: Legal Terms

The worst-case scenario for a DUI involves the death of an innocent person. Unfortunately, thousands of families are affected by this tragedy every year. The penalty for accidentally killing someone during a DUI varies by state. Some states, such as California, might consider it a DUI murder. Others, like Arizona, don’t have specific rules in place.

In most states, accidental deaths are usually charged as either manslaughter, second-degree homicide, or criminally negligent homicide. Each state punishes accidental death differently:

Jail Time for Accidental Death After a DUI

While some states have highly harsh sentences and drunk driving rates, it doesn’t necessarily mean a person will receive the harshest penalty. A judge will consider the circumstances of a DUI arrest and decide what they feel is suitable for that specific case.

Insurance Rate Increases After a DUI

On average, insurance prices go up by a staggering 74 percent after a DUI. That’s more than a speeding ticket and accident combined for your insurance. Consider the average monthly price of some of the biggest car insurance providers in the country before and after getting a DUI:

Your best option is not to get a DUI. However, if you are in the unfortunate situation of a DUI, talk to your agent to see if they can help you save money.

Read More: Cheap Auto Insurance After a DUI

How to Find the Right Insurance After a DUI

Getting a DUI is incredibly stressful and potentially embarrassing. Of all the things you’ll need to take care of, insurance is one of the last things you’ll want to stress over. To save money, shop for quotes with as many companies as possible. Even if your current provider is willing to keep you as a customer, it might be cheaper to go elsewhere.

If you’ve answered, “What is a DUI?” the hard way, you can enter your ZIP code into our free tool to see what car insurance quotes might look like and the other factors that affect insurance rates.