By Chris Corso, Attorney-at-law Special for USDR
Last month was the 2016 Men’s NCAA Final Four Tournament in Houston, Texas and more than 70,000 visiting fans attended the tournament as well surrounding events.
During this event in Houston and at other large sporting events this Summer and Fall, steep DWI and DUI consequences are expected.
The Facts
Alcohol consumption typically spikes during sporting events. In fact, when leaving a professional sporting event, 40 percent of people have alcohol in their system and nearly eight percent are legally too intoxicated to drive, according to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota.
The study also revealed that one in four tailgaters admitted to consuming at least five alcoholic beverages and at least one out of every 12 fans attending a football or baseball game will leave the stadium legally drunk.
This means that if 60,000 people show up to a football game and one out of 12 leaves drunk, that’s 5,000 intoxicated people on their way home. Additionally, in an anonymous survey following the Breathalyzer test, one in four tailgaters admitted to consuming at least five alcoholic beverages.
Another startling fact? Those with the highest BAC range consumed an average of 6.6 drinks.
Texas ranks high for DWIs
In 2013, Texas led the nation with 1,337 deaths caused by a drunk driver, according to MADD.
Are these laws fair though? Texas implements No Refusal weekends, typically on holidays and weekends when large crowds arrive.
Recently, there has been several No Refusal weekends around the state, for events such as South by Southwest, St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break, reported by KVUE.
What does a No Refusal entail?
A No Refusal period means that if a driver refuses to take a Breathalyzer or blood test when pulled over, an officer is allowed to request a search warrant from a judge for their blood sample.
How can a criminal defense lawyer help?
In Texas, a DWI can result in jail time and thousands of dollars in fines. Many people don’t fully grasp the idea that these consequences can affect one’s career, education, friends, family and finances. This is why in Texas, the importance of contacting an experienced DWI lawyer can not be overstated.
Corso Law Group: http://corsolawgroup.com/texas/
