What Does DWI Mean? The Truth Is, It Depends on Where You Live
DWI is one of those short legal terms most people recognize but rarely stop to question. They just figure it’s another way to say drunk driving. That’s not completely wrong. Still, DWI carries more weight than its three letters let on. It’s tied to serious criminal charges that can shape your future in quiet, lasting ways. If you’re already facing a DWI, or know someone who is, you might want more than a dictionary-style answer. You probably want to know what it really means for your record, your license, even your family’s routine. What DWI Stands For At its core, DWI means Driving While Intoxicated or Driving While Impaired. The specific words shift by state. Texas uses DWI almost exclusively. New York uses it for cases where your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is over 0.08% , the standard limit across most of the country. In some places, DWI is the higher charge. In Maryland, for example, DWI actually carries lighter penalties than DUI, which seems backward i...