According to the NHTSA in 2007, drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08% or more were involved in 32% of Texas wrongful death car accidents. Driving with blood alcohol at 0.08% or higher is illegal. However, blood alcohol concentrations lower than this amount does mean it is safe to drive. Drivers who drink and drive are twice as likely to have an auto accident, even if they have a blood alcohol concentration less than the legal limit.
Alcohol’s effect depends on body size and the same amount of alcohol can affect persons differently even if they are the same size. Alcohol use affects the brain, liver, heart, stomach and can cause a driver to become sleepy. Drinking is the same: 1 beer = 1 glass of wine = 1 shot of liquor.
Drunk driver accident statistics are scary. In 2007, there were 12,998 drunk driver accidents in the U.S., which equals a drunk driver accident causing death every 40 minutes. 278,000 received personal injuries in drunk driver accidents, which equals one personal injury every 2 minutes. Regarding children age 14 and under, 1670 were killed in drunk driver accidents and half of these children were passengers of drunk drivers.
How does alcohol affect the body and impair your ability to drive? It causes depression, increases aggression and affects one’s ability to control emotions, concentrate, and remember. Alcohol affects a person’s ability to have visual perception, coordination, judgment, and quick reaction time.
The only thing that will remove alcohol from your body is time. Coffee, cold showers, or food does not reduce the amount of alcohol concentration in your body. It is recommended you wait 1 hour for every drink you have before driving. Getting charged with a DWI can lead to fines, jail time, license suspension and a civil lawsuit for causing personal injuries and wrongful death. It is illegal to drive when under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs and some over the counter medicines such as cold medicines and antihistamines.
First time convictions for drunk driving and DWI convictions can include:
- 72 hours to 6 months in jail;
- fines up to $2000;
- license suspension for 90 days to 1 year;
- 24 to 100 hours of community service;
- payment of $20 to $40 monthly supervisory fees
Second time convictions for drunk driving and DWI convictions include:
- one year automatic liscense suspension (if first conviction is 5 years or less);
- ignition interlock is installed on vehicle;
- during license suspension, you cannot get an occupational license;
- fines up to $4000;
- up to 80 hours of community service; and
- $25 to $40 monthly supervisor fees.
If you get a third conviction, it is a felony conviction.
This entry was posted
on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Dallas Auto, Truck & Vehicle Accident Attorneys.
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