DWI Facts

The Legal Limit.
The legal limit for intoxication
in Texas is .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). However, drivers
can be stopped and cited for impaired driving due to alcohol or other
drugs regardless of BAC. Texas also has a zero tolerance law. For
anyone under 21, it is illegal to drive with any detectable amount
of alcohol.
How Much is Too Much?
Impairment begins with the
first drink. Gender, body weight, the number of drinks consumed and
the amount of food in one's stomach affect the body's ability to handle
alcohol. Women, younger people and smaller people, whether male or
female, often have lower tolerances.
What Happens If You're Stopped? If a law enforcement
officer asks you to take a blood or breath test to measure how much
alcohol is in your system, you should comply. If you refuse, you are
subject to an automatic 180-day driver's license suspension. Punishment
for DWI varies depending on the number of times you've been convicted.
First Offense:
- up to a $2,000 fine
- 72 hours to 180 days in jail
- driver's license suspension: 90 days to 1 year
Second Offense:
- up to a $4,000 fine
- 30 days to 1 year in jail
- driver's license suspension: 180 days to 2 years
Third Offense:
- up to a $10,000 fine
- 2 to 10 years in penitentiary
- driver's license suspension: 180 days to 2 years
If you're under 21, here's what happens the first time you
are stopped for drinking and driving:
60-day driver's license suspension
Truck accidents
up to a $500 fine
20 to 40 hours of community service
mandatory attendance in alcohol-awareness classes
Get caught drinking and driving a second or third time, and the penalties increase, including suspension of your
driver's license for up to 180 days. That's called zero tolerance. It means "zero" alcohol. And that's the law in Texas.
Excerpts taken from: TexasDWI.org





