About Dwi Drunk Driving In Texas

A more recent law passed in 2005 provides for heightened penalties when a person is convicted for driving with a dangerously high BAC of 0.15. Supporters of the high-BAC law argue that a more severe punishment for high-BAC drivers is justified. According to statistics released by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 58% of alcohol-related fatalities involve someone with a BAC of 0.15 or higher.

While the last 10 years has seen Texas embrace a more rigorous approach to identifying and punishing drunk drivers, Texas has not yet adopted laws that are somewhat common in other states. For example, some states apply a lower BAC to repeat offenders. Other states apply penalties for refusal to take a Breathalyzer test that are greater than the penalty for actually failing the test. In Massachusetts, for instance, the first refusal to take a Breathalyzer results in a 180-day license suspension, but subsequent refusals can result in three-year, five-year, and lifetime license suspensions.