As nationwide stay-at-home orders begin to wind down, millions of drivers are returning to the roadways in search of a sense of normalcy, and Houston-area drivers are beginning to show how quickly they can return to their bad habits behind the wheel. In fact, the week leading into the Memorial Day holiday resulted in the city seeing a return of DWI numbers that nearly matched those from the same period of time in 2019 (278 in 2020 versus 321 in 2019) — and it’s just the beginning.
Statewide Reopening Brings DWI Trouble For Houston
While the 2020 Memorial Day numbers aren’t a new record, the city is seeing a resurgence of DWI cases, just weeks after seeing a 50% dip in DWI cases during the COVID-19 lockdown. The uptick in DWI’s also comes at a time where restaurants and bars aren’t able to accommodate more than 25% of their normal capacity, so some feel this is a glimpse of a major side effect brought on by the lockdown.
Sean Teare, head of the Vehicular Crimes Division of the Harris County DA’s Office, states, “My concern is as we open up, you’re going to see more people try to make up for lost time, so to speak.” The need to make up for lost time combined Americans electing to drive themselves over using rideshare in an effort to reduce their person-to-person interactions has the potential to create an abnormally large increase of DWI cases for local law enforcement. But Texas cities aren’t alone. Colorado law enforcement is seeing a significant increase in DWI cases this year, with deadly DUI crashes nearly doubling.
Law Enforcement Forced To Change Operational Guidelines
As most of the nation settled into life in quarantine, law enforcement and first responders have had to restructure the way they handle stops and arrests to help protect all parties from the unnecessary spread of the virus. With the change in person-to-person interactions also comes the ability to pull over drivers for disobeying stay-at-home orders, which can lead to These changes will continue to impact day-to-day operations for law enforcement and first responders, especially as millions of drivers hit the roadways again this summer, but DUI stops haven’t. In an effort to help educate first responders, the National Law Enforcement Liaison Program (LEL) placed
Can I Still Be Pulled Over & Arrested During The COVID-19 Orders?
Despite a change in law enforcement guidelines, police aren’t letting egregious crimes slide. If an officer has reasonable suspicion that someone is driving under the influence, they can and will conduct a traffic stop to ensure that the driver is alright to drive. DWI-checkpoints are less likely to be set up during stay-at-home orders, but officers are still on the lookout for those breaking the law.
Anyone driving while impaired by alcohol could face severe criminal penalties in Texas. The legal limit for drunk driving in Texas is a BAC of .08 or higher. A driver could face substantial fines and jail time for a DWI conviction.
Punishments for DWI In Texas
DWI (1st Offense): A first offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor unless your BAC at the time of driving was .15 or more, in which case it’d turn into a Class A misdemeanor. A Class B conviction carries a maximum fine of $2,000 as well as a jail sentence of up to 180 days, while a Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum fine of $4,000 as well as a jail sentence of no more than one year.
DWI (2nd Offense): A second offense DWI is a Class A misdemeanor. A conviction carries a maximum fine of $4,000 as well as up to one year in jail.
DWI (3rd Offense): A third offense DWI is a third-degree felony. It carries a maximum fine of $10,000. Additionally, a third offense DWI carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years in the state penitentiary system.
DWI (4th Offense): A fourth or subsequent conviction for DWI is also a felony offense. It carries a maximum fine of $20,000 as well as a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Contact a Houston DUI Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review
The Texas DUI accident lawyers of Weycer Law Firm help individuals and families seek compensation for injuries and losses incurred because of a drunk driver. For a free consultation, call (713) 668-4545. You may also use the chat feature on our website for information 24/7.