What does "proximate cause" mean in a Rhode Island DUI manslaughter case?

Proximate cause is the legal requirement that the defendant's intoxicated driving was a substantial factor in causing the death - not merely that the defendant was intoxicated and a death occurred. If the death would have happened regardless of the defendant's intoxication (for example, due to the deceased's own conduct, third-party action, or independent intervening cause), the proximate cause element may not be established beyond a reasonable doubt.