In New York, DWI and DUI are used interchangeably outside the courtrooms and in everyday language. Since there are no references in the New York law to DUI as a legal term most attorneys and judges will simply refer to drunk driving cases as DWI cases.
DWI stands for driving while intoxicated, DUI means driving under the influence. There is no legal difference in New York between these two terms.
Here is a short glossary of some of the terms that are used in New York:
1. DWI which stands for driving while intoxicated – Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher,
2. DWAI which stands for driving while ability impaired – Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of more than .05 up to .07,
3. AGG-DWI which stands for Aggravated DWI – Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .18 and higher,
4. DWAI-DRUG which stands for driving while ability impaired by drugs,
5. DWAI-Combination which stands for driving while ability impaired by a combination of alcohol and drugs.
