Impaired Driving

DUI defendants in Colorado can be charged with DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two), or DWAI. Colorado DWAI, which stands for Driving While Ability Impaired, is a lesser-offense, where the person's blood alcohol level (BAC) is .05 or higher.

Colorado drunk driving arrests can relate to driving under the influence, or violation of the "per se" laws. Driving under the influence means driving a vehicle when a person has consumed intoxicants which affects the person to a degree that he or she is substantially incapable, mentally or physically, to exercise clear judgment, sufficient physical control, or due care in the safe operation of a vehicle.

Colorado DUI per se charges are slightly different. The DUI per se charge is brought against those arrested for DUI who provide a breath or blood alcohol sample of .08% or higher. It does not matter what the driving pattern is like, or whether the person arrested performed Field Sobriety Tests with textbook precision. It is a charge that is based purely on body chemistry.

Colorado DWAI (driving while ability impaired) is similar to Colorado DUI, except that to be convicted of Colorado DWAI, the prosecution is only required to prove that the defendant was affected to the slightest degree, so that the person is less able than he or she ordinarily would have been to exercise clear judgment.

Colorado, like many other states, imposes both criminal penalties and administrative driver's license penalties for a Colorado DUI conviction.

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