The holidays are prime time for drunk drivers to hit the roads, and police all over Dallas-Fort Worth are sure to have their eyes open for anyone who looks like they’re driving under the influence. At A-EZ Out Bail Bonds, we’ll bail you out if you get arrested on a drunk driving charge, but we’d much rather you keep yourself and the other drivers safe by knowing your limits when you imbibe this holiday season.
Let’s take a look at the drunk driving laws in Texas, how to tell if you’re sober enough to drive, and what to do if you get pulled over after having a few too many.
What is the Legal Limit in Texas?
To avoid a DUI in Texas, your blood alcohol level must be 0.08 or lower. If an officer stops you because you’re driving in a reckless manner that suggests intoxication, they have the right to administer a field sobriety test, a breathalyzer, or a blood test. If your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08 or higher, you’ll likely be taken to jail on a DUI charge.
It’s important to note that this rule applies to drivers aged 21 and older. If someone under 21 is found driving with any trace of alcohol in their blood, they can be arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
How to Tell if You’re Impaired
There’s an old saying: If you have to ask if you’re too drunk to drive, you are too drunk to drive. There is some wisdom in those words. If you’re noticing the classic signs of intoxication – slow reflexes, slurred speech, clumsiness, double vision – then you should definitely find an alternate way to get home. The problem is that being drunk doesn’t exactly make you a reliable source to determine how drunk you truly are.
Another rule suggests that if you’ve had more than 2 alcoholic drinks, you shouldn’t drive. While that’s a more objective criterion, it doesn’t apply to everyone. If you have certain medical conditions or take prescription medicines, alcohol might leave you impaired much faster than someone else.
Holiday Sobriety Checkpoints
Whether you’re drunk or not, you could find yourself swept up in a sobriety checkpoint on the Texas highways, especially on New Year’s Eve. These checkpoints force every driver to pull over and let an officer check them for signs of intoxication, even if they weren’t driving recklessly.
While the legality of checkpoints in Texas has been hotly debated, it’s best to cooperate and go about your way when the officer waves you on. If you’re asked to step out and take a sobriety test, you have the right to refuse – but if the officer is confident you’ve had too much to drink, they will arrest you and have you submit to a blood test at the jail.
If you’ve been stopped by a police officer and you know you’re under the influence, your best bet is to calmly and politely cooperate with the officer. If you’re arrested, you should be cooperative, but you don’t have to say anything without a lawyer present if you think you might incriminate yourself.
Err on the Side of Caution
Drunk driving ends lives. A DUI on your record will follow you for a long time, and the guilt of harming or even killing another person will follow you even longer. Go out with a trusted designated driver or call a cab or a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft to get you home safely with your clean driving record intact.
A-EZ Out Bail Bonds Will Get You Out of Jail All Season Long
A-EZ Out offers DUI bail bonds in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. We won’t judge you. We’ll just get you out of jail so you can reunite with your family and put the incident behind you. Call us any time of day or night when you or a loved one needs way out of jail fast!