In Texas, just like every other state in the nation, if a person gets behind the wheel of a car with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 or above, that person may be charged with drunk driving. Operating under the influenceis a serious offense in the state, so it is important to understand what penalties are associated with such charges.
If it is a person’s first OUI offense, he or she could face $2,000 in fines, anywhere from three to 180 days in jail and he or she could have his or her driver’s license revoked for as many as 12 months. Moreover, he or she may have to pay an annual $1,000 to $2,000 fee for three years in order to keep his or her license to drive.
If it is a person’s second OUI offense, he or she could face $4,000 in fines, anywhere from one to 12 months in jail and he or she could have his or her driver’s license revoked for up to two years. In addition, he or she may have to pay an annual $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 fee for three years in order to keep his or her license to drive. Moreover, if it is a person’s second OUI conviction within the past five years, a person may also have to install an ignition interlock device on his or her vehicle.
If it is a person’s third OUI offense, he or she could face $10,000 in fines, a two to 10 year prison sentence and he or she could have his or her driver’s license revoked for up to two years. As is the case with a second offense, if it is a person’s third OUI offense, he or she may have to pay an annual $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 fee for three years in order to keep his or her license to drive. Moreover, if it is a person’s second OUI conviction within the past five years, a person may also have to install an ignition interlock device on his or her vehicle.
As you can see, the state of Texas takes drunk driving seriously, and there are stiff penalties for those convicted of OUI. Therefore, if a person is facing drunk driving charges, he or she should take every step necessary to defend against them, in order to avoid the harsh consequences that could come with a conviction.
Source: Texas Department of Transportation, “Driving While Intoxicated (DWI),” accessed Jan. 24, 2017