Texas One Of Nation’s Three Worst For Drunk Driving

It's a fact. Nearly one third of all auto related fatalities were caused by someone who had been drinking while driving.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, about 31% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers.  In 2021, there were 13,384 people killed in these preventable crashes. In fact, on average over the 10-year period from 2012-2021, about 10,850 people died every year in drunk-driving crashes.

In what's an even more staggering statistic, we learn from the NHTSA that in every state, it’s illegal to drive drunk, yet one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 39 minutes in the United States in 2021.

And now, after compiling the results of a new research project from Forbes Advisor, we learn that one of the top three states for drunk driving is Texas.

While falling behind Montana and South Dakota in regards to numbers of drunk drivers, the problem in the State of Texas is obviously a bad one and needs immediate attention.

Some of the key takeaways from the findings in regards to drivers under the influence in the Lonestar State, we learn that the problem is especially bad for younger drivers.

Forbes writes:

• The Lone Star State ranks second worst for both the share of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (8.30 per 100,000 licensed drivers) and percentage of traffic deaths caused by drunk drivers (42.37%).
• Texas also stands out as the state with the third-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.94 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
• More than five (5.14) people are killed in crashes involving a drunk driver for every 100,000 state residents (the sixth-highest amount).

Hoping to serve as a deterrent, Texas doesn't play around when it comes to punishment for driving while impaired.  Texas Department of Transportation lists the following as penalties for each offense:

Texas Penalty For DWI First Offense

• Up to a $2,000 fine.
• Up to 180 days in jail upon conviction with three mandatory days.
• Loss of driver license up to a year.

Texas Penalty for DWI Second Offense

• Up to a $4,000 fine.
• One month to a year in jail upon conviction.
• Loss of driver license up to two years.

Texas Penalty for DWI Third Offense

• A $10,000 fine.
• Two to 10 years in prison.
• Loss of driver license up to two years.

These fines do not include a state fine of $3,000, $4,500, or $6,000 assessed upon sentencing.