There are various criminal charges for operating a motorized, electric, or otherwise-powered transportation device on public roadways or waterways while under the influence of or intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, as defined by state law. DUI, DWI, OUI, OWI, and BUI—driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, operating under the influence, operating while intoxicated, and boating under the influence—are some of the common names for such impaired-driving or impaired-operating criminal offenses.

Laws regarding the definitions and names of such alcohol and drug-related driving offenses vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal code or criminal code.

In Iowa, the relevant offense for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is known as Operating While Intoxicated (OWI). Iowa Code section 321J.2 prohibits operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or other drug or a combination of such substances. It also covers situations where the individual has an alcohol concentration of .08 or more or any amount of a controlled substance present in the person, as measured in the blood or urine. Penalties for OWI in Iowa can include fines, imprisonment, and the revocation of driving privileges, depending on the number of offenses and the severity of the incident. Additionally, Iowa has a Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) law, which applies to operating a vessel on waterways under the influence, with similar legal thresholds for alcohol and drug consumption as those for operating a motor vehicle.