Drunk drivers often drive dozens of times before an arrest
It is absolutely possible to get a DWI in Texas after drinking for the first time. Maybe you simply went out with friends for your 21st birthday and, not understanding how intoxication impacts driving ability, decided it would be safe enough to drive home. You got pulled over and arrested on the way, and you were unable to believe how fast you got caught.
Most of the time, though, studies have found that people drive under the influence dozens of times prior to an arrest. One report claims that most who are facing DWI charges have driven while intoxicated about 80 times before the police finally catch them.
How could this happen?
There are a lot of reasons why this happens. One is simply that there are far more drivers than police officers. The police cannot possibly watch everyone. Statistically, even on a night when an officer makes multiple arrests, he or she is going to miss most drunk drivers.
Another part of the equation is that the police only see each driver for a second or two. An officer may be parked on the side of the road, looking for red flags like drivers who are drifting out of the lane or driving erratically. But if the driver just happens to be driving well as they go by the officer, he or she may not see any reason to make a stop — and the law states that police must have a reason for a traffic stop prior to making it.
Finally, a lot of drunk driving happens with people who do not even know that they’re impaired. If you asked someone who got arrested how often they’d driven while over the limit, they may honestly believe this was the first time when they actually drove under the influence consistently. They just didn’t have a breath test to check their BAC level until the arrest, so they didn’t realize they were over the limit.
What if you’re facing charges?
No matter how you got to this point, you must know your legal options if you’re facing drunk driving charges. These allegations can be life-changing and you need to know how to proceed.