Impaired driving means: A criminal offense; the act of driving while impaired .. It is mainly Canadian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
impaired driving
(law, automotive, chiefly, Canada) A criminal offense; the act of driving while impaired .
Seen in the wild
0 The blood alcohol concentration limit Manitoba is imposing on repeat impaired driving offenders. Plus automatic lifetime licence suspension for two convictions within 10 years causing bodily harm or death.
The Beloit Police Department will join other Rock County law enforcement agencies to conduct additional patrols in an effort to prevent impaired driving later this month.
“Impaired driving is preventable,” the department said in a statement. “Plan ahead. Drive sober. Arrive alive.”
Definitions
(law, automotive, chiefly, Canada) A criminal offense; the act of driving while impaired .
Impaired driving means: A criminal offense; the act of driving while impaired .. It is mainly Canadian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
impaired driving means: A criminal offense; the act of driving while impaired .. Register: formal, legal English. Standard in its technical domain but rare in everyday talk; gloss with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
“0 The blood alcohol concentration limit Manitoba is imposing on repeat impaired driving offenders. Plus automatic lifetime licence suspension for two convictions within 10 years causing bodily harm or death.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“The Beloit Police Department will join other Rock County law enforcement agencies to conduct additional patrols in an effort to prevent impaired driving later this month.”
— Bluesky· May 2026““Impaired driving is preventable,” the department said in a statement. “Plan ahead. Drive sober. Arrive alive.””
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "impaired driving" (I)
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Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- drunk driving70%
(legal, automotive, US) The act of driving under the influence of alcohol.
- drink-driving70%
(chiefly, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, legal) A criminal offence committed by a person who operates a vehicle when the measured amount of alcohol in his or her blood exceeds the legal limit.
- drink-driving64%
(chiefly, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Operation of a motor vehicle after recently consuming an alcoholic beverage.
- drink-driver62%
(chiefly, British, and, Australian, legal) A person who operates a motor vehicle when legally intoxicated.
- moving violation60%
(US, Canada, Australia, law enforcement) Violation of the law by the driver of a vehicle while in motion.