Under zero-tolerance rules, a driver younger than 21 may not drive with any measurable alcohol in the blood, so even one drink can lead to charges. The 0.08% figure is the usual limit for adult drivers, not for drivers under 21.
Texas law requires you to stop and either find the owner or securely leave a written note on the vehicle with your name and address and a short account of the crash. Leaving without doing this is a hit-and-run offense no matter how small the damage.
A first DUI conviction in Texas takes away your driving privilege for no less than three months, and repeat convictions lead to considerably longer suspensions.
A DPS examiner inspects the vehicle first and will not start the test if it is unsafe, is missing seat belts, or has a console or other equipment that would keep the examiner from reaching the brake pedal. Bring a vehicle that is in good shape and fully equipped.
One standard drink equals either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; each holds about the same amount of alcohol. Choosing beer or wine over liquor does not make you any less impaired.
Newcomers to Texas get a 30-day window to register locally any vehicle that came with them from another state; continuing to drive on the old state's plates after that is not allowed.
Texas, for example, requires drivers convicted of DWI to complete a DWI education program, on top of fines, a license suspension and possible jail time. A conviction always goes on the driving record and brings more than a single fine, and a five-year suspension is not the penalty for a first offense.
Take Minnesota: its law sets minimum liability limits of $30,000 when one person is injured or killed, and $60,000 for everyone hurt in a single crash. Every state decides its own minimums, so the amount you need depends on the state where the vehicle is insured.
A Texas learner license carries no time-of-day restriction, so practice is allowed around the clock as long as a licensed driver age 21 or older rides in the front passenger seat. The midnight-to-5 a.m. limit belongs to the provisional license that comes later.
Drivers who are 21 or older break the law once their BAC hits 0.08%. Anyone under 21 is held to a zero-tolerance limit far below that, so 0.08% is not their cutoff, and 0.06% is not the standard adult limit.
Under implied consent, getting a license and driving on public roads count as advance agreement to chemical testing, such as a breath test, when you are arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Refusing the test usually brings its own penalties, including loss of your license.
Under Texas rules, a new address must be reported no later than 30 days after you move, which keeps your license record and mailed notices up to date.
Alcohol makes it hard to hold a steady lane position and speed, so swerving between lanes, crawling well below the pace of traffic, and stopping suddenly for no clear reason are classic warning signs. Give such a driver plenty of room and report the vehicle to police when you can do so safely.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
