Driving in Texas is far more dangerous than driving in most other states, at least when it comes to DWI.
That's because Texas, with 1,235 deaths in 2009, has one of the highest rates of drunk-driving fatalities, which are charged as intoxicated manslaughter offenses. The rates are so high, with nearly 40 percent of all crashes related to alcohol compared to 32 percent for the rest of the country, the National Transportation Safety Board wants the police to begin enforcement of sobriety checkpoints.
Texas is one of only 12 states that do not employ the traffic stops, where police stop traffic on specific roads that are usually heavily traveled and check drivers to see if they are impaired. Some local police departments conduct sobriety sweeps, where officers patrol certain neighborhoods to seek out drunk drivers. While arrests are made, the sweeps don't have the effect of the checkpoints, where unsuspecting drivers are stopped and, if found to be impaired, are arrested.
Another problem plaguing Texas is the actual alcohol content of impaired drivers. They're not just legally drunk, which is being at or exceeding the .08 limit, but the alcohol content is often two or three times higher than that. That's produced a deadly combination in which nearly three quarters of all those arrested for driving while impaired have a blood alcohol content over .15 and have been arrested before for DUI within the past 10 years.
The Texas prosecution is very tough on drunk driving, especially if the case involves fatalities. If you've been arrested for DWI, give yourself a chance by seeking the help of a criminal defense attorney.
