Lawmakers Seek Ways to Deter DWIs
Prep for the 2013 Legislature continues at the Capitol. Photo by Lizzie Chen/KUT NewsBy Tyler Pratt
Texas lawmakers met today to discuss strengthening the state’s DWI laws. Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, heads the committee that’s looking for more creative ways to deter drunk drivers.
“So many times, what we do, especially with respect to DWIs, is simply make the sentences stiffer,” said. “And when you make the sentences stiffer, that in and of itself, doesn’t seem to have had the impact that the Legislature would have wanted.”
Proposed solutions included increasing no-refusal programs, adjustments to blood alcohol testing laws and a deferred adjudication program. Texas has one of the highest drunken-driving death rates in the nation, according to Mothers Against Drunken Driving.
