DUI simply stands as driving under the influence, usually of alcohol but it can also be sometimes be applied to other substances such as drugs. Another related term you should know is DWI, which stands for driving while intoxicated. Depending on where you live the terms can be used interchangeably.

To get a DUI you need to be caught driving a vehicle with more than the allowable amount of alcohol and/or other banned substances in your blood. For the remainder of this article I will focus on alcohol related DUIs because that is by far the most common type. Just keep in mind that you should never operate any vehicle after consuming any illegal and certain legal drugs.

To determine if you have too much alcohol in your system police will perform a Breathalyzer and/or another type of blood alcohol test. These tests will determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Where you live will determine the acceptable BAC you are allowed to drive with.

In most of North America the allowable BAC level is 0.08, which very roughly translated means the equivalent of 2 beers for a man or one for a women. However, many factors affect you BAC such as your metabolism, height and weight. Thus, this only a very rough guideline.

Moreover, many jurisdictions both in North America and around the world are getting stricter when it come to allowable BAC. Even in some places reducing it to zero. This means that even you have only one drink and then drive, you could still be charged with a DUI. So be sure to check the laws in your area to know the maximum level in your area.

That being said the safest way to avoiding a DUI is to never have any alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car or other form of motorized transportation. This is the only surefire way to prevent yourself from getting one. Every drink you have before driving greatly increases your risk of getting in an accident. So, even if your BAC is below the maximum allowable level you still should not drive after drinking.

Now some people claim that there are ways of beating a Breathalyzer test such as chewing gum or using mouthwash. If this were true it would mean you could drive over the legal limit but would not get caught doing. Fortunately, none of the proposed ways of beating a Breathalyzer test has proven effective. This means that if you drive drunk you will get a DUI.

So do yourself and everyone else on the road a favour after drinking. Don't Drive. Sooner or later you will get charged with a DUI. When that happens I hope for your sake it is only a minor infraction and not because you killed somebody. Every drink before driving increase you chance of that happening.