The same crime, judged by the world.

Drunk driving (DUI) — how 14 countries sentence it

Across these 14 jurisdictions, a standard first-offense DUI with no injury is almost universally treated as a lower-tier crime or serious traffic offense: typically a fine plus mandatory licence disqualification, with imprisonment available (often up to 6-12 months) but frequently not imposed on a first offender. Jurisdictions diverge sharply on two axes. First, the trigger: most set a blood-alcohol limit around 0.05% (Taiwan, Germany, Netherlands, France, Australia), while England & Wales uses 0.08%, South Korea 0.03%, and Brazil and Saudi Arabia apply near-zero or absolute-zero tolerance — Saudi Arabia criminalizes the alcohol consumption itself, not merely the driving. Second, the death outcome: penalties for DUI causing death range from roughly a 3-year maximum at the base tier (Netherlands base culpable-driving offense; China base traffic-accident crime) up to life imprisonment (Taiwan for repeat offenders, South Korea, England & Wales for offenses on/after 28 June 2022, and several US states / Australian states via murder or aggravated-homicide framings). No jurisdiction here imposes the death penalty for the DUI offense itself. China is the only one where an extreme fatal case can be recharged as \"endangering public safety by dangerous means,\" a crime that carries a capital maximum, so its death-penalty flag is marked true only under that narrow recharacterization; in Saudi Arabia a fatal DUI is normally treated as an unintentional killing (diyya/blood money), not qisas, so capital punishment does not attach. This is general educational information, not legal advice, and sentences are ranges reflecting wide judicial discretion.

Starkest gap: A first-offense DUI ranges from a fine and licence loss (Germany, UK, Australia) to criminalized alcohol consumption itself with imprisonment and likely deportation for foreigners (Saudi Arabia); for a resulting death, the ceiling spans roughly 3 years at the base tier (Netherlands, China) to life imprisonment (Taiwan repeat offenders, South Korea, England & Wales, and several US and Australian states via aggravated-homicide or murder framings).

• Japan: First offense (no injury): 'drunk driving' (sake-yoi unten) up to 5 years imprisonment or fine up to 1,000,000 yen; lower-tier 'alcohol-impaired' (shuki-obi unten) up to 3 years or fine up to 500,000 yen; DUI causing death: dangerous driving causing death 1-20 years imprisonment (typically a medium prison term).
• France: First offense (no injury, BAC >=0.05% / 0.5 g/L blood): up to 2 years' imprisonment and a 4,500 euro fine, plus licence suspension/points loss and mandatory awareness course; DUI causing death (driving involuntary manslaughter, Code pénal art. 221-6-1): base of 5 years / 75,000 euro, rising to 7 years / 100,000 euro with alcohol as an aggravating factor and up to 10 years / 150,000 euro where two or more aggravating circumstances are present (typically a short prison term).
• Germany: First offense (no injury): 'drunk driving' (§316 StGB) up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine, plus licence withdrawal and demerit points (absolute unfitness from 1.1 per mille BAC); DUI causing death or concrete endangerment: 'endangering road traffic' (§315c StGB) up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine, combined with negligent homicide (§222) where a death results (typically a short prison term).
• Singapore: First offense (no injury): fine of S$2,000-S$10,000 or up to 12 months' imprisonment or both, plus disqualification of at least 2 years; DUI causing death: dangerous driving causing death carries 2-8 years for a first offender (4-15 years for repeat offenders), plus long disqualification (typically a short prison term).
• South Korea: First offense (no injury): at 0.03-0.08% BAC fines up to ~KRW 5 million or up to 1 year; at 0.08%+ up to KRW 15 million or up to 2 years; DUI causing death: 3 years to life imprisonment (in practice often around 5-6 years absent strong aggravation) (typically a short prison term).
• Taiwan: First offense (no injury): imprisonment up to 3 years and/or fine up to NT$300,000 (BAC >=0.05% or breath >=0.25mg/L); DUI causing death: 3 to 10 years imprisonment (plus criminal fine up to NT$2 million); repeat offender within 10 years causing death: life imprisonment or not less than 5 years (typically a short prison term).
• Australia: First offense (no injury): state-based — e.g. NSW low-range PCA (0.05-0.079) on-the-spot fine plus ~3-month suspension, mid-range up to ~A$2,200 fine / 6-12 month ban / up to 9 months jail, high-range up to ~A$3,300 / up to 18 months; DUI causing death: dangerous driving causing death up to 10 years (14 with aggravation) in NSW, culpable driving causing death up to 20 years in Victoria (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• Brazil: First offense: 'zero tolerance' — any measurable alcohol triggers an administrative fine (around R$2,934, doubled for a repeat within 12 months) and a 12-month licence suspension; the criminal offense of driving under the influence (CTB art. 306, at higher levels or clear impairment) carries 6 months to 3 years detention plus fine and ban; DUI causing death: culpable vehicular homicide aggravated by intoxication (CTB art. 302 §3) carries 5-8 years plus licence ban (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• China: First offense (no injury, BAC >=80mg/100ml = 'dangerous driving'): criminal detention (juyi) of 1-6 months plus a fine; DUI causing death (traffic-accident crime, Art. 133): up to 3 years or criminal detention at the base tier; 3-7 years if the driver flees or there are other especially egregious circumstances; 7+ years where fleeing causes death (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine). Death penalty is on the books.
• England & Wales (UK): First offense (no injury): unlimited fine and/or up to 6 months' imprisonment, plus a mandatory minimum 12-month driving disqualification (BAC limit 0.08%); DUI causing death: 'causing death by careless driving when under the influence' carries up to life for offenses committed on or after 28 June 2022 (14 years before), with a sentencing-guideline offense range of 26 weeks to 18 years (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• India: First offense (no injury, BAC >30mg/100ml): fine up to Rs 10,000 and/or up to 6 months' imprisonment (Motor Vehicles Act s.185; repeat within 3 years: up to Rs 15,000 and/or 2 years); DUI causing death: causing death by negligence up to 5 years plus fine (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita s.106) or, if recklessness rises to culpable homicide, up to 10 years or life (BNS s.105, former IPC s.304) (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• Netherlands: First offense (no injury, BAC >=0.05% / 0.5 per mille): fine, driving ban, and possible community service or short imprisonment; DUI causing death: 'causing death by culpable driving' up to 3 years at base, rising to about 6 years where reckless/aggravated — and up to roughly 9 years under the 2020 tightening law (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• Saudi Arabia: First offense (any alcohol at all): there is no lawful BAC limit because alcohol itself is prohibited — a driver faces charges both for the alcohol offense and for the driving, typically imprisonment and/or a fine plus, for non-citizens, deportation; DUI causing death: handled under Islamic homicide rules, normally as an unintentional killing requiring diyya (blood money) and possible imprisonment, not the death penalty (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).
• United States: First offense (no injury): misdemeanor, typically fine (~$500-$2,000), licence suspension, possible up to 6-12 months jail (often suspended); DUI causing death (vehicular homicide/manslaughter): commonly 1-15 years, with many states reaching 20-25+ years and some allowing life (typically a non-custodial penalty or fine).

General legal education, not legal advice. Figures are simplified and were last verified 19–20 July 2026; each is sourced in the interactive view above.