When did drinking and driving become illegal?

SOURCE: The History of Drunk Driving Laws in the U.S. • LifeSafer. Below are some key dates in the history of drunk driving laws in the United States. In 1910, New York was the first state to adopt a law against drinking and driving, with California and other states soon following. read more

In 1910, New York was the first state to adopt a law against drinking and driving, with California and other states soon following. These early DUI laws simply prohibited driving while intoxicated, but there was so set definition of what level of intoxication qualified as drunk driving. read more

As recently as the 1970s many Americans looked upon drunk driving as a risky bit of mischief rather than a public menace. It would take four things to change the climate in the US: Measurement. A means of measuring drunkenness had to be invented; Prohibition. Laws prohibiting drunk driving had to pass; Enforcement. read more

Drunk driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle while the operator's ability to do so impaired as a result of alcohol consumption, or with a blood alcohol level in excess of the legal limit. For drivers 21 years or older, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is illegal. read more