DWI Glossary

If you have any questions about the following terms, please call the law office of the Houston DWI lawyer.

Absorption Rate:

The rate alcohol enters the blood stream and intoxicates a person. Due to metabolism, food intake, weight and other factors, this rate constantly varies.

Administrative License Revocation:

The automatic suspension of your license when you receive a DWI.

BAC:

Blood Alcohol Content, a measure of how much alcohol is in a person’s blood. If you drive with a BAC above 0.08%, you can be charged with drunk driving.

BAC Calculator:

A tool to predict a person’s BAC based on weight, hours spent drinking, and the number of drinks consumed.

Blood Test:

A DWI chemical test that can estimate your BAC with a blood sample.

Breath Test:

A chemical test used to estimate your BAC using a breath sample. These tests are frequently inaccurate and can be fought with the help of a top Riverside DWI attorney.

Burnoff:

The opposite of absorption rate; the rate a body metabolizes alcohol and returns to sobriety.

DWI:

Driving Under the Influence

Expungement:

DWI Expungement sometimes referred to as DWI expunction, is the process of removing, sealing, or clearing a DWI related offense from your record after conviction. It is the only form of post conviction relief offered for DWI convictions.

Habitual Offender:

A habitual offender is defined differently by many states. However, typically a habitual offender is someone who has three DWI convictions over a specific amount of time. You’ll need to check with your state or local DWI attorneys to learn the exact habitual offender laws where you live.

Implied Consent:

Some states have what are referred to as implied consent laws, meaning that if you hold a drivers license in one of these states you are agreeing that if you are ever stopped for DWI that you automatically consent to testing and the officer does not need to ask your permission. The state of Nevada allows for refusals of testing while still in the field.

Ignition Interlock Device:

An ignition interlock device is a device that is installed in a vehicle that prevents a vehicle from starting if it detects a BAC over .02%.

Open Container Laws:

Laws that criminalize having open alcoholic beverages in the car.

Reckless Driving:

Dangerous driving

Standardized Field Sobriety Test:

The roadside tests police are authorized to use to evaluate sobriety.

Urine Test:

A chemical DWI test that evaluates a person’s sobriety using a urine sample.