DUI Dictionary
Drunk driving arrests, DUI / DWI arrests, cases involving driving under the influence of drugs (DUID), or the combination of alcohol and drugs, all seem to have their own language. Indeed, DUI / DWI criminal defense lawyers seem to have their own language as well. As any criminal defense attorney who concentrates on defending drinking and driving cases will admit, there are special terms which are not readily understood. The following are often-used (and not often easily understood) terms relating to DWI / DUI, drunk driving, drinking and driving, DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) and other related criminal arrests:
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Field Sobriety Test (FST) – Any number of tests used by law enforcement officers, usually on the side of the road or highway, to determine whether a driver is impaired. Most FSTs test balance, coordination and the ability of the driver to divide his or her attention among several tasks as once. Other tests, such as the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, are used to measure a subject’s impairment level.
Felony drunk driving – Under certain circumstances the misdemeanor offense of driving under the influence of alcohol will be treated as a felony, such as when drunk driving results in great bodily harm or death or where the accused has three or more prior DUI convictions. Note that certain related charges, such as “wet reckless” driving may count as a prior DUI conviction for this purpose.
Fixation – Ability of the eye to focus on one point.
