Lawmakers are finding their efforts to enact tougher drunk driving laws in Texas to be a tough road. Texas has traditionally been a state where lawmakers are very reluctant to create laws that would encroach the civil liberties of its residents. However, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Texas ranks seventh in traffic deaths related to DUI, with 1235 fatalities annually. Roughly 40% of the road deaths are related to driving under the influence. This is a problem, but the question is how serious are we about trying to fix it?
There are numerous bills that have been proposed this legislative session in Austin that have the intent of putting some new laws in place that would try to decrease the number of DUI offenses and related fatalities across the State. One of them (House Bill 439) would allow the Texas Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement agencies to create checkpoints along highways or streets to test drivers level of intoxication. Another bill (House Bill 506) would require all convicted DWI offenders (including first time offenders) to put an ignition lock on their vehicle that they blow into to test for the presence of alcohol before allowing the engine to start. Other bills being proposed would increase the penalties and revoke the drivers license for multiple offenders.
These bills may seem like good ideas, but their sponsors are finding it tough to gain support. Although Texas is one of only 12 states that currently do not authorize sobriety checkpoints, most don’t see it happening any time soon. Many representatives are concerned about the inconvenience that check points would create, and they voice their opinion that in many cases, police have too many reasons to pull over drivers already. Representative Todd Smith from Euluss (the author of the checkpoint bill) said “There’s a false perception that these are going to be frequent and common inconveniences to the non-drinking public.” Mr. Smith notes that most stops would take less than a minute and it is his opinion that it would make for safer roadways for all drivers. Opponents, such as Matt Simpson of the ACLU mentions fourth amendment rights that prohibit unwarranted search and seizure, and feels that authorizing such activities would be a slippery slope. Others against checkpoints feel that it is simply an invasion of privacy at the simplest level.
With State budgets running in the red, the ignition device bill has the toughest hill to climb since it would require state monies to monitor offenders and pay for the associated costs. With a 23 billion dollar shortage facing Texas legislators, passing such a bill would be nearly impossible.
Agreement on the methods to affect this problem positively may be in question, but there is no disputing the problem. What laws would you propose to help fix these unnecessary drunk driving accidents and fatalities?
