As experienced DWI attorneys in New Orleans, Louisiana, our team at Harmon, Smith & Vourvoulias often sees confusion within the state about drunken driving terminology. This is to be expected, as different states in the U.S. use different acronyms for the charge, even ones that border Louisiana.

In Louisiana, driving while intoxicated, or DWI, is the term used to describe impaired or drunken driving. Texas also uses the term DWI.

DUI is another acronym for impaired or drunken driving, standing for “driving under the influence.” Mississippi, for example, uses the term DUI.

Read on to learn from our team about both terms and what to do if you’re facing a DWI charge in Louisiana.

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We all know that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can impair judgment and put everyone’s lives at risk. But we do not often think of the intoxicating effect of that all-nighter or the common case of “burning the candle at both ends.” If you are running on empty (sleep, that is, not fuel), you are putting yourself and others at risk.

On June 7, a sleep-deprived Walmart truck driver crashed into a car that was carrying, among others, comedians Tracy Morgan and James “Uncle Jimmy Mack” McNair on the New Jersey Turnpike, killing McNair and seriously injuring Morgan. According to New Jersey prosecutors, Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., had been awake for a period in excess of 24 hours at the time of the crash. As the NY Times reported, investigations found that Roper swerved at the last minute to avoid a collision with slow-moving traffic up ahead that he had failed to perceive, causing the multi-vehicle crash that killed one and injured several others. [Read more…]