International DUI Laws
Being charged with a DUI is a very serious crime. The seriousness can be greatly compounded should you be charged with a DUI in a foreign country. When traveling abroad, it is crucial to learn local laws and educate yourself about each country's stance on driving under the influence. Failure to comply with local law could lead you to a stay in jail in a foreign land.
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Canada
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America's border with Canada should allow for easy access into the Canadian provinces, but this isn't true if you've been convicted of a DUI in the United States. Canada views DUI convictions as a felony. Border patrol agents have the authority to deny entrance into Canada for anyone who has been convicted of a DUI, unless they've obtained prior special permission from the Canadian government. The DUI laws in Canada are similar to the United States, in that a blood alcohol concentration of greater than .08 percent is enough to convict for DUI.
Europe
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Most of the European Union treats DUI offenders harshly as well. Sweden is the toughest in the world, where any alcohol concentration greater than .02 percent is enough to be considered "impaired." Most countries have limits around .05 percent. European countries are trending towards lower legal limits in an effort to cut down on traffic fatalities, with some enforcing lower and lower limits for its youngest drivers.
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Asia
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China's DUI laws are very similar to the United States, and convictions result in the loss of your license and/or jail time. The main difference is that China's legal limit is .02 percent. South Korea has a threshold of .05 percent, with heavy fines, jail time and license suspensions. In Japan, any BAC over .03 percent will be considered "intoxicated."
No-Tolerance Countries
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While most of the world allows drivers some leeway when driving after consuming alcohol, several countries practice a "not a drop" standard when enforcing DUIs. If you are caught driving with any alcohol in your system in these countries, you will be arrested for DUI: Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Hungary and Russia.
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References
- Photo Credit beer in beer-mug image by Witold Krasowski from Fotolia.com
