Texas DUI Laws
In the state of Texas, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense. In 2011 alone, drunk driving caused more than 1,000 fatalities in the state of Texas. Tragically, close to half of these deaths were made up of passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Because it’s such a dangerous crime, the Texas DUI laws are incredibly strict. They are designed to appropriately punish people who break Texas DWI laws, and to hopefully convince people to never even consider driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the first place.
Texas DUI and DWI Penalties
When it comes to punishing lawbreakers, Texas is no joke. The state has a long history of being one of the strictest in the nation. According to the Texas DMV point system, drivers will incur heavy penalties if they accrue 6 points in the span of 3 years. The point breakdown itself is fairly simple:
- Moving violation: 2 points
- Moving violation that results in an accident: 3 points
In addition to the above, getting 4 moving violations in 12 months, or 7 moving violations in 24 months will get your Texas license suspended. And if you’re getting into that many moving violations, you may want to rethink driving in the first place.
Drivers 21 and Over
If you’re over 21 and you are arrested for breaking Texas DUI laws, the penalties become more and more severe with each subsequent offense.
First Offense
- A fine of up to $2,000
- Jail time up to 6 months
- A suspended driver license for up to 1 year
- An annual fine of $1,000 for 3 years, in order to keep driving privileges
Second Offense
- A fine of up to $4,000
- Jail time up to 1 year
- A suspended driver license for up to 2 years
- An annual fine of $1,500 for 3 years, in order to keep driving privileges
Third Offense
- A fine of up to $10,000
- Jail time of 2 – 10 years
- A suspended driver license for up to 2 years
- An annual fine of $2,000 for 3 years, in order to keep driving privileges
Drivers Under 21
Not surprisingly, there’s even less tolerance for underage violators. Texas DUI and DWI penalties become even more severe–if you are under 21 years of age, it’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle with any alcohol in your system at all. In fact, this is where the term “zero tolerance” originated. Today, the term is used to describe automatic punishment for infractions of any stated rule.
Obviously, the underage Texas DWI laws are strict because drinking is illegal for minors, but also because it compounds the inherent danger and risk of accidents in ways you might not realize. Statistically speaking, “younger drivers” and “drunk drivers” are two of the categories that are most likely to get into an accident. When those two categories coincide, the risk is multiplied.
There are many violations that have specific penalties for minors, including:
- Driving while intoxicated
- Possession of alcohol
- Consumption of alcohol
- Intoxication in public
- Misrepresenting age
- Purchasing (or attempting to purchase) alcohol
And in addition, anyone caught breaking any of the above Texas DWI laws is subject to suspension of license for 30 – 180 days.
Driving with a Child
In the state of Texas, driving while intoxicated with a child passenger is considered a felony. It’s bad enough to put yourself at risk by driving drunk, but having a child in the car is putting their life in your own incapable hands. If you are arrested, your license will be immediately suspended.
Texas DUI laws are created, and heavily enforced, with the sole intention of protecting you and your fellow Texans from harm. Any dangerous activity that occurs when you’re behind the wheel has the potential to turn tragic, as your motor vehicle can become a deadly weapon. So whether it’s from doing research, taking an online defensive driving class, or just using common sense, stay safe–at all costs.
