What does “DWI” mean in American English?

This news report says the arrested officer “is charged with two counts of DWI.” DWI stands for “Driving While Impaired,” the official name Minnesota law uses for driving with too much alcohol or drugs in your system. In other places you’ll more often hear DUI, “Driving Under the Influence.” The names, and the laws behind them, vary from state to state.

Because this story happened in Minnesota, the report, the police and the court all say “DWI.” Other US states use other terms for similar offenses: Wisconsin, for example, uses OWI (“Operating While Intoxicated”). So don’t assume DUI is the only correct word everywhere in the US.