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Those that have been driving for long enough should be aware of the dangers of drinking and driving. Television ads and news stories have been expressing for decades drunk driving accidents and how catastrophic their effects are. However, even with these warnings, it still does not serve as an absolute deterrent to keep a person from driving while under the influence of alcohol.
In fact, a drunk driver will, on average, drive 80 times or less while under the influence before their first arrest.
Other Concerning Facts About Drunk Driving
In America, every 51 minutes or so, someone is killed in a drunk driving accident. This equates to 27 people every single day.
Every two minutes, someone is injured in a drunk driving accident
Kids and teenagers who happen to be involved with alcohol at a young age are more likely to be involved in an alcohol-related crash.
Drunk Driving Accident Statistics in Texas
Texas has many things to be proud of – its food, football, and the friendliness of residents – but they also have a large number of car accidents as a result of alcohol consumption. In 2019, Texas saw a total of 24,617 crashes statewide, and the damages ranged from property damage to fatalities.
The counties that saw the highest number of accidents in 2019 in Texas were namely:
Bexar County – 2,108
Travis County – 1,454
Dallas County – 2,191
Harris County – 3,603
Drunk driving accidents occur at all times throughout the day, but the peak hours tend to be from midnight to 3 am. As the day progresses, there is a downward slope in drunk driving accidents; however, it starts to rise again around 5 pm.
More so, a vast majority of drunk driving accidents occur on the weekend, yet there are still hundreds of accidents occurring throughout the week. This alone has indicated that Texas has a serious ongoing problem concerning drunk driving. If you have been arrested for drunk driving, contact a DWI attorney in Fort Worth Texas at Sparks Law Firm. They can answer questions such as if you should tell your employer about a DUI or if a DUI will affect your credit score.
How Many Drinks Are Too Many to Drive in Texas?
In Texas, an individual is considered to be legally intoxicated should they have a blood alcohol consumption level of 0.8 or higher.
The alcohol tolerance of a person depends on their height, the number of alcoholic beverages they have consumed, whether they have eaten enough food, and their weight. Thus, what could take one person several drinks to reach the legal level of intoxication could take another person a lot fewer drinks.
Texas Civil and Criminal Penalties for DUI Accidents
Depending on the circumstances, the civil penalties for drunk driving in Texas will differ. These fines include the following:
Up to $2,000 for a first-time offense and a license suspension of one year or less
As much as $4,000 for a second-time offense, as well as a license suspension of two years or less
Up to $6,000 in fines for a third offense and a license suspension of two years or less
Fines can also be as much as $10,000 for a first or second-time offense if an individual was driving under the influence with a passenger child (under 15 years of age). If nobody was intoxicated, but there was an open container of alcohol, then there could be a penalty fine of $500.
As for criminal penalties for driving under the influence in Texas, they will also depend on whether or not it was an individual's first or second time being pulled over and if they have a pattern of driving drunk:
First-time offense means jail time of up to 180 days
Up to a year in prison for a second-time offense, and
Ten years or less of prison time for a third-time offense.
How Can the Attorneys from Sparks Law Firm Be of Importance in a Drunk Driving Situation?
Anyone who has been arrested for drunk driving or has been injured in an accident due to drunk driving and needs help regarding their way forward can count on the experienced attorneys from Sparks Law Firm for help.
A client can discuss their case with a skilled and knowledgeable lawyer at Sparks Law Firm today, for free, by either contacting them online or by calling them at (817) 381-7846.
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