Which statement about operating while intoxicated is correct?

Which statement about operating while intoxicated is correct?

• A. A driver who refuses a chemical test is automatically guilty
• B. A driver with a BAC of .05 or more is operating while intoxicated
• C. A driver has a blood alcohol content of .08 or more
• D. A driver with a BAC below .02 is considered safe

Answer: (C)

In Michigan, the legal threshold for operating a vehicle while intoxicated is a blood alcohol content of .08 or more. That level is the per se limit, meaning if your BAC is at or above .08, you’re considered intoxicated simply by the amount of alcohol in your system, regardless of other signs of impairment. Refusing a chemical test doesn’t automatically make you guilty of OWI; it leads to penalties under implied consent laws and can be used against you, but it’s not an automatic conviction for OWI. A BAC of .05 or more isn’t the standard for OWI in Michigan—the law sets .08 as the key limit for the offense. And a BAC below .02 isn’t considered safe in the context of OWI, because impairment can occur at lower levels and there are additional rules for underage drivers.

In Michigan, the legal threshold for operating a vehicle while intoxicated is a blood alcohol content of .08 or more. That level is the per se limit, meaning if your BAC is at or above .08, you’re considered intoxicated simply by the amount of alcohol in your system, regardless of other signs of impairment. Refusing a chemical test doesn’t automatically make you guilty of OWI; it leads to penalties under implied consent laws and can be used against you, but it’s not an automatic conviction for OWI. A BAC of .05 or more isn’t the standard for OWI in Michigan—the law sets .08 as the key limit for the offense. And a BAC below .02 isn’t considered safe in the context of OWI, because impairment can occur at lower levels and there are additional rules for underage drivers.