DWI is considered worse than DUI, although both DWI and DUI are serious offenses.
The actual severity when it comes to DWI vs DUI also depends on the jurisdiction and the jurisdictions legal framework.
Some states don't have any legal distinction between DWI and DUI and group them together when charging you with the offense of DUI or DWI.
And some states also use the umbrella term of OVI or OWI to cover all impaired driving offenses.
And regardless of the term used for the impaired driving, auto insurance companies also classify both convictions of DWI and DUI as being identical high risk violations that cause massive auto insurance spikes.
DWI is worse than DUI in states like Texas, New York and Arkansas, as a DWI charge implies that you have severe intoxication or a BAC that is at or above the 0.8% legal limit.
And a DUI in states like Arkansas, Texas and New York are often treated as being a lesser Class C misdemeanor for minors under 21 with any detectable alcohol.
In other jurisdictions like Maryland for example, a DUI is worse than a DWI, as a DUI in Maryland is more severe in charges, which means you have a BAC of over 0.8%, whereas a DWI in Maryland is assigned to a drive who has a BAC of between 0.07% and 0.08%.
DUI and DWI will always get you arrested if you're impaired while driving and meet the legal requirement of having the proper amount of BAC in your blood.
DUI and DWI is also serious in that you can get into a serious wreck and you may survive, but you will also injure or kill other innocent drivers and passengers or even pedestrians.
In most cases, drunk drivers and impaired drives who crash, often walk away with little to no injuries, but instead kill or injure someone or family who is in another vehicle or walking or riding their bicycle etc.
Never drive drunk or impaired as it's not worth it.