What does “driving under the influence” actually mean?
The term “driving under the influence” dates back to the California Vehicle Code Book of 1935 that states: VC 23152: Alcohol and or Drugs: (a). It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of an intoxicating beverage, or under the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug to drive a vehicle. The second part of this complicated law is laid out in: VC 23152 (b): It is unlawful for any person who has a .08 percent or more by weight to drive a vehicle. “Under the influence” is a rather unclear definition. Lawmakers attempted to clarify the definition in 1970 (CALJIC 16.831) as: (A) person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor when as a result of drinking such liquor his physical and mental abilities are impaired so that he no longer has the ability to drive a vehicle with the caution characteristic of a sober person of ordinary prudence under the same or similar circumstances. Even today there remains serious confusion about the actual wording of the law and h
