10 DWI Facts

Drunk driving is a fairly common and potentially dangerous legal offense. In order to help protect both your health and your legal rights, it is important to be knowledgeable about this issue. To help you make informed decisions, we have compiled 10 important facts about drunk driving and its potential impact on your safety, finances, and freedoms.

Get the Facts

The following are 10 important things to know about alcohol, driving, and the law:

1. Every state and Washington, D.C. imposes a legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit of .08. Your BAC is the concentration of alcohol in your bloodstream. If your BAC is .08, that means that .08% of your bloodstream is composed of alcohol.
2. Most states set a lower BAC limit for drivers under the age of 21. In Texas, an underage driver is considered intoxicated if he or she has any measurable alcohol in his or her bloodstream. In other words, the legal limit for underage drivers is .00.
3. Even if your BAC is below .08, you can still be arrested for impaired driving if you show signs of intoxication after being pulled over. For example, the officer who pulls you over may decide to administer field sobriety tests. Failing these tests can be grounds for arrest regardless of your BAC.
4. People process alcohol differently based on a number of factors, including gender, weight, typical drinking habits, and more. While there are many charts available that will estimate your BAC based on your weight and gender, it is important to remember that these charts are not 100% reliable. There are only two ways to know your BAC for sure: take an alcohol concentration test such as a Breathalyzer, or do not drink at all.
5. The only effective way to “sober up” is to let time pass. Common methods such as drinking coffee, eating food, or exercising will not effectively lower your BAC or increase your ability to drive safely.
6. Driving while intoxicated is dangerous. When your BAC is .08, you are 11 times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident than a driver who is not impaired. Sadly, Texas leads the country in alcohol-related car accidents, with over 1,400 fatal accidents in 2008 alone.
7. Being convicted of drunk driving is expensive. In Texas, courts can impose legal fines of $2,000 for a first-time offense, $4,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense. This is not including other expenses such as driver’s license reinstatement fees or car impoundment fees.
8. A drunk driving conviction can also mean jail time. A first-time DWI conviction can result in 72 hours to 180 days in jail. A second offense can be penalized with 30 days to 1 year in jail. A third or subsequent offense can lead to 2 to 10 years in jail.
9. There are several aggravating factors that can affect your DWI case. An aggravating factor is anything that can result in a stricter penalty. For example, you will likely face harsh penalties if you are convicted of drunk driving with a minor in the vehicle, multiple DWI offenses, or causing an accident while impaired.
10. In Texas, penalties increase for each DWI conviction. A first-time conviction is a Class B misdemeanor; a second conviction is moved up to a Class A misdemeanor. A third or subsequent conviction is known as felony DWI, and can be punished severely.

Being informed about DWI and the law is the first step in protecting your health and your legal freedoms. If you have been accused of impaired driving, you need an experienced Houston DWI defense attorney who can provide the facts and support you need.

Contact Us

The Houston DUI attorneys of Johnson, Johnson & Baer, P.C., have years of experience handling cases like yours. To discuss how we can assist you, contact us by calling 713-222-0400.