Driving While Intoxicated in Wicomico County
In addition to driving under the influence charges, drivers in Maryland may also face charges of driving while intoxicated. Below a Wicomico County DUI lawyer discusses this charges and how it compares to DUI charges. If you are facing DWI or another charge involving involving it is important you consult with an attorney as soon as possible so they can begin building your defense.
For more information on these charges and the impact they can have on your driving privileges, call and schedule a free consultation today.
What is The Difference Between DUI and DWI Charges?
Driving while impaired by alcohol is a less serious offense than driving under the influence of alcohol. In order to convict a driver of driving while impaired, the state would have to prove that alcohol had impaired the driver’s normal coordination to some extent. It does not require proof that the drivers’s normal coordination was substantially impaired, just that the drivers’s normal coordination was impaired to some degree.
So, the difference between a DUI and a DWI is really just a difference of degrees, it’s difference of a person being greatly impaired versus a person being impaired. It’s easier to prove the offense of driving while impaired than it is driving under the influence of alcohol and they carry very different penalties. Driving under the influence, the maximum penalty for that offense is a year in jail and/or $1,000 fine. For driving while impaired, the maximum penalty is sixty days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Can You Be Charged With A DWI For Impairment And Drugs?
Yes, you can be. You can be charged with either a DUI or a DWI if the state can prove that you were driving a motor vehicle on the roadways and you were under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance. What this typically involves is a person who has consumed something other than alcohol and it is impacting their ability to operate a car. It can also include if somebody takes a drug that was prescribed to another individual and they take the drug that even though it was not prescribed to them and then they drive a car. A driver can also face charges for driving under a combination of both alcohol and a controlled dangerous substance.