Impaired Driving

In Missouri, driving while intoxicated (DWI) is illegal, and Missouri's DWI law states that a person commits the crime of driving while intoxicated if they operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, and/or medication - regardless of his or her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. If your BAC level is .08 percent or above, you're deemed legally intoxicated. Chapters 302 and 577 of the Missouri Revised Statutes state it is a criminal offense to operate a motor vehicle at or above .08 percent BAC. But you can also be convicted for DWI with BAC levels lower than .08 percent if an officer can determine your driving was impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs or medication.

Consequences
DWI is a criminal charge in Missouri. You won't just get a ticket - you can land in jail, lose your license and pay significant fines and legal expenses. Here are some of the consequences if you are caught driving while intoxicated:

• For a first offense (or first offense in over five years), your license will be revoked for 30 days followed by a 60-day suspension.
• A second offense could result in a $1,000 fine, a year-long revocation of your license and up to a year in jail. You will also be required to install an ignition interlock system on your vehicle, preventing your car from starting when you have alcohol on your breath. Ignition interlock systems cost an average of $800 a year plus installation costs.
• Third and subsequent offenses can be penalized with up to a $5,000 fine and/or up to seven years in jail.
• If you cause a fatal crash while intoxicated, you could be charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, a felony resulting in up to seven years of jail time, a $5,000 fine or both.

Alternatives to Driving Impaired
 
If you know you will be drinking, or if medications you're taking may affect your ability to drive responsibly, there are other options besides driving yourself home.
Choose a driver who agrees not to drink. A sober driver is the safest driver. Remember, a designated driver is someone who drinks NO alcohol at all, not the person who has consumed the fewest drinks at the end of the night.

Stop drinking in time to sober up. It takes the body approximately one hour to eliminate one drink from your system. If you plan to drive home later, stop drinking in time to let all the drinks you've consumed exit your system before you head home.

Consider alternative transportation. If you find yourself late in the evening with no plan for getting home safely, find a sober friend to drive you home; call a cab; or take public transportation. Walk home only if you live close and have safe streets to travel on foot - intoxicated pedestrians have the same impaired judgement as drunk drivers, so don't think you can beat traffic on busy streets and highways.

Stay where you are. If you can spend the night at a friend's house, you avoid the terrible consequences of driving while intoxicated - for you and everyone else.

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