Drunk driving remains a huge problem in the country. Texas, in particular, has a serious problem as it ranks as one of the top states in the nation for DWIs.
What are the statistics in Texas for driving while intoxicated?
A driver education company performed a survey about the issue of drunk driving and determined that Texas ranks as the fifth-worst state with a score of 69.8. Statistics on DWI in Texas were acquired through records from the National Highway Transportation Safety Board or NHTSB and the FBI. It was discovered that the state has around 360 arrests for DWI with 7.5 deaths from drunk driving out of 100,000 drivers on average.
Only North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota ranked worse than Texas. By contrast, the states with the lowest drunk driving records were Utah, Delaware, New York, New Jersey and Vermont.
Why is drunk driving so dangerous?
Drunk driving remains a huge danger not only in Texas but all across the United States. While the legal blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08, it’s best to avoid driving at all at any time you plan on drinking. Drunk driving causes certain challenges, which include the following:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Impaired judgment
- Impaired perception
- Short-term memory loss
- Impaired reaction time
- Difficulty maintaining speed
- Difficulty with information processing
Even if a person’s BAC is under the legal limit, they can still experience reduced coordination, impaired judgment and reaction time and other effects from alcohol consumption.
The best way to stay safe is to plan ahead. If you go out drinking, make sure you have a ride with someone sober lined up ahead of time.