Texas is number two on the list of states with the highest number of licensed drivers. With more than 17 million drivers on the roads in the state, Texas has as number of strict laws in place to help keep its roads and its citizens safe. For starters, Texas drivers must carry minimum liability auto insurance on every vehicle owned. According to autoinsurancetips.com, the minimum liability coverage amounts required by Texas Law are $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person per accident, $50,000 for bodily injury or death to two or more persons per accident, and $25,000 for damage or destruction to other property in an accident (25/50/25). Failure to provide proof of insurance in the state of Texas can cost up to $350 in fines and license suspension of up to one year.
In addition to strict auto insurance laws, Texas has even stricter DUI laws. All it takes is a BAC (blood alcohol concentration level) of 0.08% to be convicted of DUI in the state of Texas. On top of this, state DUI laws do not allow for special treatment for first offenses. Whether it’s the first or third offense, all Texas DUI offenders have to spend time in jail and pay anywhere from $2,000-$10,000 in fines. License suspension periods range from 90 days up to 2 years.
Texas teen drivers have their own set of laws when it comes to DUIs and obtaining a license. Texas has a zero tolerance policy for teen drinking and driving. Any teen caught driving with a BAC of 0.02% will lose his license on the spot. Jail time is common as well. The state of Texas does not stop there. Texas has special ordinances in place called “social hosting ordinances,” that allow the state to prosecute any individual that sells to or furnishes a minor with alcohol. Many other states have the same ordinances in place, but the state of Texas is the only state that strictly enforces this ordinance, so beware.
Fortunately, most Texas teens won’t jeopardize their licenses for a few sips of beer and a joy ride. After all, it takes several years to obtain an unrestricted license under Texas’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program. Texas teens must complete several phases of driving instruction, keep a clean driving record, and reach the age of 18 before obtaining an unrestricted license. To begin the process, Texas teens must be at least 15 years of age.
In the state of Texas, most teens do not make it through the Department of Motor Vehicle’s tough GDL. As a result, teen drivers make up only a small percentage of the millions of driver on Texas’s roads. In addition, Texas’s Graduated Driver Licensing program has helped decrease the number of teen crashes over the past 7. Between 2002 and 2009, fatal teen car crashes declined by a whopping 32.5%.
For more information about Texas Driving laws, Texas driving statistics, and more, please visit:
Texas_Auto_Insurance – AutoInsuranceTips.com
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/dlindex.htm – Texas Department of Public Safety
http://www.iii.org/media/facts/statsbyissue/auto/ – Insurance Information Institute (website)
http://www.census.gov/ – United States Census Bureau
