5 ms·

Will I get a DUI if I'm drunk and my car drives me home? Say I'm in the back seat.

mcbutterbunz 9y ago
I would guess that if you gave the command to drive home, you would be seen as the operator of the vehicle and would probably receive a DUI. If there is an emergency and the automobile needs human intervention, then you would be responsible.
- cwp 9y ago
  Yeah. When I was in J-school, I covered a court case where a man was convicted of DUI when the cops found him asleep in the back seat of a car with the engine running. He knew he was too drunk to drive and decided to sleep it off in the back. It was a cold winter night so he turned on the engine to run the heater. He got convicted because being inside the vehicle with the engine running met the definition of "operating" it, and nobody wanted to start down that slippery slope.
  - cookingrobot 9y ago
    That's terrible.
  - baby 9y ago
    That is a pretty bad judge, one quality for judging cases is to also be human and flexible.
Alex3917 9y ago
Yes. You can get a DUI if you're in a car that's either turned on or has the keys in the ignition, even if it's parked.
- gwicks56 9y ago
  Teslas don't have ignitions. And what defines "turned on" for an electric vehicle?
  - bjelkeman-again 9y ago
    A Tesla is OFF if it is in Park. Yes the computer is still running, but for driving purposes if it is in park, no driving can happen.
    - rhino369 9y ago
      You can't drive a normal car in park either.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
Tiktaalik 9y ago
What happens if you're drunk and in the back seat and your self driving car runs over a cyclist? One risks more than a DUI.
_ph_ 9y ago
That question only becomes relevant when it would be considered legal to have the car drive without a licensed driver in control. As long a driver with a license is required, you have of course to be fit for driving.
- baby 9y ago
  This is really interesting to me as I do not have a driver's license and I am not intending to get one.

I would guess that if you gave the command to drive home, you would be seen as the operator of the vehicle and would probably receive a DUI. If there is an emergency and the automobile needs human intervention, then you would be responsible.

cwp 9y ago
Yeah. When I was in J-school, I covered a court case where a man was convicted of DUI when the cops found him asleep in the back seat of a car with the engine running. He knew he was too drunk to drive and decided to sleep it off in the back. It was a cold winter night so he turned on the engine to run the heater. He got convicted because being inside the vehicle with the engine running met the definition of "operating" it, and nobody wanted to start down that slippery slope.
- cookingrobot 9y ago
  That's terrible.
- baby 9y ago
  That is a pretty bad judge, one quality for judging cases is to also be human and flexible.

Alex3917 9y ago

Yes. You can get a DUI if you're in a car that's either turned on or has the keys in the ignition, even if it's parked.

gwicks56 9y ago
Teslas don't have ignitions. And what defines "turned on" for an electric vehicle?
- bjelkeman-again 9y ago
  A Tesla is OFF if it is in Park. Yes the computer is still running, but for driving purposes if it is in park, no driving can happen.
  - rhino369 9y ago
    You can't drive a normal car in park either.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]

Tiktaalik 9y ago

What happens if you're drunk and in the back seat and your self driving car runs over a cyclist? One risks more than a DUI.

_ph_ 9y ago

That question only becomes relevant when it would be considered legal to have the car drive without a licensed driver in control. As long a driver with a license is required, you have of course to be fit for driving.

baby 9y ago
This is really interesting to me as I do not have a driver's license and I am not intending to get one.