Distinguishing Characteristics of High-BAC DWI Offenders

This study focused on DWI offenders with particularly high blood alcohol levels (BAC) at the time of arrest, especially those who do so repeatedly. High-BAC drivers, presumed to have alcohol use disorder, were compared to other DWI arrestees with respect to several factors: official response to the DWI offense as indicated by the legal disposition of the case; drivers’ subsequent traffic crashes and non-alcohol traffic offenses; and specific features of the traffic crashes of high-BAC drivers. Characteristics of arrested low-BAC drivers were also be investigated to determine their likelihood of DWI recidivism at high-BAC levels.

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