As with any industry, there are certain terms and abbreviations associated within them. Recently we can across a nice posting on the terms used in DUI law. We have republished some of them here for your reference:
DWI – Driving While Impaired
DUI – Driving Under the
OUI – Operating Under the Influence
“Per Se” Offense – A drunk driving offense which can result in conviction based upon proof of blood alcohol content (BAC), without any proof of impairment of ability to drive.
PBT – Preliminary Breath Test – A PBT device is portable in nature, and is often carried by police in the field. PBT devices provide an estimate of blood alcohol concentration. However, due to the nature of the devices and the circumstances under which they are used, PBT results are not ordinarily admissible in court except under unusual circumstances.
The Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) is a battery of three tests administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain validated indicators of impairment and establish probable cause for arrest. The tests administered under this protocol are the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, the walk-and-turn test, and the one-leg stand.
Administrative Penalty – A sanction which may be imposed through an administrative agency, such as a state department of motor vehicles (DMV), even without criminal prosecution.
BAC – Blood Alcohol Content, usually expressed in a number reflecting the ratio of milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood.
BAL – Blood Alcohol Level. The same as Blood Alcohol Content.
