Some car accidents in Texas occur due to factors outside the driver’s control. But motor vehicle accidents that involve drunk driving are entirely preventable.
Drunk driving accidents can have deadly consequences. It’s estimated that one person dies every 52 minutes due to a drunk driver behind the wheel. This is a heartbreaking statistic that the state doesn’t take lightly.
What’s considered drunk driving?
Drinking impacts a person’s coordination and ability to multitask, both skills that are immensely needed while driving. Alcohol relaxes your muscles, impairs vision and can make you drowsy.
Many drugs – like marijuana – have the same impact. Because of that, driving after consuming alcohol or drugs could be considered drunk or impaired driving.
Ramifications of drunk driving
The fatality behind drunk driving accidents means that it’s taken as a serious offense in all fifty states. Law enforcement will usually charge you with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) if you’re driving with a blood alcohol content above 0.08 percent in most states.
The punishments for drinking and driving are more severe because of how fatal DUI-caused accidents can be. Even first-time offenders risk having their license suspended, even if there wasn’t an accident due to their drinking.
The court might also sentence a repeat offender to rehab or revoke their driver’s license. A DUI charge is also considered a felony, and certain cases might even end with the driver seeing jail time.
How to prevent drinking and driving
The easiest way to avoid a DUI charge is to avoid drinking and driving altogether. If you’re going to drink, arrange for someone else to drive.