MADD Pushing for DWI Reform in Austin, Texas

(Austin, Texas) - Drinking and driving is a serious issue that affects just about everyone. It honestly is at an almost an epidemic level with how bad it is in Texas. Operating a car or truck while sober is a hard enough challenge for many while sober so it's even worse when they're impaired.

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is an organization that has been working for decades to make drinking and driving less of an issue. It some ways it's worked, in other ways some stubborn people aren't listening to the message. MADD is now in Austin in the hopes of bringing some DWI reform to Texas.

MADD Pushing for DWI Reform in Austin

There are a few bills that MADD has gotten behind in Austin (KHOU). HB 2984 will clarify that a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher means a person is intoxicated. HB 764 and HB 1760 would make the punishment for intoxication manslaughter a minimum of five years. SB 650 would require electronic checks to make sure someone buying alcohol is 21 years old.

On average, every 78 seconds, someone in the U.S. is killed or injured by a drunk driver. Think about that, in the time it took you to read this, depending on your reading speed, about four people were killed or injured. That's a problem.

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MADD Pushing for DWI Reform

Outside of these new bills, there are other ways to prevent drunk driving. Don't drive to where you will be drinking. Uber, Lyft, taxi companies or designate someone as the sober driver for the evening all exist in East Texas. Use them.

Learn your alcohol limits. As someone who worked in the bar industry for many years, I can't tell you how many times I've seen people come in thinking they can handle a certain alcohol. They couldn't and their night was ruined.

MADD Pushing for DWI Reform in Texas

There is nothing wrong with going out and having a good time. The problem is that too many believe they are okay to drive under the influence of alcohol. Some even believe they "drive better drunk." Those three words are wrong and you are lying to yourself and others for believing that.

Go out and have a good time but know your limits and under no circumstances do you get behind the wheel of a car or truck after you've been drinking.

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