Impaired driving

(a) Offense. A person commits the offense of impaired driving if he drives any vehicle upon any highway, any street, or any public vehicular area within this State:

(1) While under the influence of an impairing substance, whether legal or illegal, even prescribed legal substances (medicines) may result in a DWI charge; or

(2) After having consumed sufficient alcohol that he has, at any relevant time after the driving, an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more.

(b) Defense Precluded. The fact that a person charged with violating this section is or has been legally entitled to use alcohol or a drug is not a defense to a charge under this section.

(c) Pleading.  In any prosecution for impaired driving, the pleading is sufficient if it states the time and place of the alleged offense in the usual form and charges that the defendant drove a vehicle on a highway or public vehicular area while subject to an impairing substance.

(d) Sentencing Hearing and Punishment.  Impaired driving as defined in this section is a misdemeanor.  Upon conviction of a defendant of impaired driving, the presiding judge must hold a sentencing hearing and impose punishment in accordance with G.S. 20.179.

(e) Exception. Notwithstanding the definition of "vehicle" pursuant to G.S. 20.4.01(49), for purposes of this section the word "vehicle" does not include a horse." (1983, c. 435, s. 24; 1989, c. 711, s. 2; 1993, c. 285, s. 1.)

Immediate civil license revocation for certain persons charged with implied consent offenses

(a) Definitions. As used in this section the following words and phrases have the following meanings:

(1) Charging Officer.  As described in G.S. 20.16.2(a1).

(2) Clerk. As defined in G.S. 15A101(2).

(3) Judicial Official.  As defined in G.S. 15A.101(5).

(4) Revocation Report.  A sworn statement by a charging officer and a chemical analyst containing facts indicating that the conditions of subsection (b) have been met, and whether the person has a pending offense for which the person's license had been or is revoked under this section. When one chemical analyst analyzes a person's blood and another chemical analyst informs a person of his rights and responsibilities under G.S. 2016.2, the report must include the statements of both analysts.

(5) Surrender of a Driver's License.  The act of turning over to a court or a law enforcement officer the person's most recent, valid driver's license or learner's permit issued by the Division or by a similar agency in another jurisdiction, or a limited driving privilege issued by a North Carolina court. A person who is validly licensed but who is unable to locate his license card may file an affidavit with the clerk setting out facts that indicate that he is unable to locate his license card and that he is validly licensed; the filing of the affidavit constitutes a surrender of the person's license.

(b) Revocations for Persons Who Refuse Chemical Analyses or Who Are Charged With Certain Implied Consent Offenses.  A person's driver's license is subject to revocation under this section if:

(1) A charging officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has committed an offense subject to the implied consent provisions of G.S. 20.16.2;.

(2) The person is charged with that offense as provided in G.S. 20.16.2(a);(3)  The charging officer and the chemical analyst comply with the procedures of G.S. 20.16.2 and G.S. 20.139.1 in requiring the person's submission to or procuring a chemical analysis; and

(4) The person:

a. Willfully refuses to submit to the chemical analysis;

b. Has an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more within a relevant time after the driving;

c. Has an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more at any relevant time after the driving of a commercial motor vehicle; or

d. Has any alcohol concentration at any relevant time after the driving and the person is under 21 years of age.

(b1) Precharge Test Results as Basis for Revocation.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), a person's driver's license is subject to revocation under this section if:

(1) The person requests a precharge chemical analysis pursuant to G.S. 20.16.2(i); and

(2) The person has:

a. An alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more at any relevant time after driving;

b. An alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more at any relevant time after driving a commercial motor vehicle; or

c. Any alcohol concentration at any relevant time after driving and the person is under 21 years of age; and

(3) The person is charged with an implied consent offense.

Impaired driving checks

A law enforcement agency may make impaired driving checks of drivers of vehicles on highways and public vehicular areas if the agency:

(1) Develops a systematic plan in advance that takes into account the likelihood of detecting impaired drivers, traffic conditions, number of vehicles to be stopped, and the convenience of the motoring public.

(2) Designates in advance the pattern both for stopping vehicles and for requesting drivers that are stopped to submit to alcohol screening tests. The plan may include contingency provisions for altering either pattern if actual traffic conditions are different from those anticipated, but no individual officer may be given discretion as to which vehicle is stopped or, of the vehicles stopped, which driver is requested to submit to an alcohol screening test.

(3) Marks the area in which checks are conducted to advise the public that an authorized impaired driving check is being made.

This section does not prevent an officer from using the authority of  G.S. 20 16.3 to request a screening test if, in the course of dealing  with a driver under the authority of this section, he develops grounds for requesting such a test under G.S. 20 16.3. Alcohol screening tests and the results from them are subject to the provisions of subsections (b), (c), and (d) of G.S. 20.16.3.

 This section does not limit the authority of a law enforcement officer or agency to conduct a license check independently or in conjunction with the impaired driving check, to administer psychophysical tests to screen for impairment, or to utilize roadblocks or other types of vehicle checks or checkpoints that are consistent with the laws of this State and the Constitution of North Carolina and of the United States. (1983, c. 435, s. 22.)

DWI Statistics from NHTSA