Few people understand that our state’s DWI law applies to more than alcohol—but it does. In fact, you can be picked up for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DIUD) even with no alcohol in your system. That is because Texas prohibits driving when your “normal faculties” have been impaired by alcohol or by any […]
Many Texans drive out of state to meet family or friends, or they rent a vehicle while on vacation. Did you know that if you are arrested for DWI in a different state then you can suffer penalties back home in Texas? It’s true. Texas and 45 other states have joined the Driver License Compact […]
Causing an accident while intoxicated comes with serious penalties in Texas. This is true even in minor accidents when no one was hurt, as drivers face charges not only for driving under the influence, but also for recklessly damaging or destroying someone else’s property. When combined, these charges can have significant repercussions, so if you […]
Motorists in Texas are prohibited from possessing an open container of alcohol, not only while driving but also while parked or stopped, as long as the vehicle is located on a public road. Although many people don’t realize it, this prohibition applies to anyone who is sitting in a passenger area, even if they never […]
A DWI accident will always draw the attention of law enforcement. If an innocent person is killed in the accident, the drunk driver can be charged with intoxication manslaughter, a second-degree felony in Texas. As with any DWI case, the prosecution must prove the defendant was intoxicated at the time of the accident, which is […]
Texas is one of the most popular states when it comes to purchases of motorhomes and recreational vehicles. Indeed, many Texans spend a good part of the year living full-time out of their vehicles. And while most activities of daily RV or motorhome living do not raise any legal issues, there is one thing you […]
A felony DWI can become a murder charge if someone dies at the hands of a legally intoxicated driver. Texas follows what is known as a “felony murder” rule. For example, if you have two prior DWI convictions in Texas, the third DWI is prosecuted as a felony. But if that third DWI also involved […]
Having an open container of alcohol in your car is basically an invitation for police to stop and investigate you for a variety of other crimes, including drunk driving and possession of controlled substances. The mere presence of the open container is often enough to give an officer “probable cause” to believe you have committed […]
You are probably familiar with the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Texas. This refers to a person’s blood-alcohol content (BAC). If a police officer detains you and administers a blood or breath test, a BAC of 0.08 percent or greater is sufficient to prove you were legally intoxicated under Texas DWI laws. Having one […]
If you are arrested for drunk driving, the presence of an open container of alcohol in your vehicle can add fuel to the legal fire. In Texas, a first-time DWI is charged as a Class C misdemeanor, but with an open-container enhancement that gets bumped to a Class B misdemeanor. In practical terms, this effectively […]