Frontera NorteSur, October 1999

Drunk Driving Risky Business On The Border

On September 1, El Pasoans witnessed a stiffer DWI law take effect establishing the blood-alcohol limit for legal intoxication as .08 down from .10. El Paso Police Sgt. Al Velarde said that there would be no grace period for offenders.

This change in laws brings the state of Texas $28 million in federal transportation funds, however $41 million will be lost because of a loophole to the new legislation that allows open alcoholic beverage containers in vehicles was not closed up.

Meanwhile, across the border, where a Zero Tolerance plan has been instituted for almost a year, Cd. Juárez police have been saturated with hundreds of persons detained for alcohol consumption. Up to 55 percent of those detained daily are a result of alcohol related offenses, usually public consumption.

The fines for intoxication are typically salary garnishments from one to 20 days of wages and depend on the life circumstances of the offender.

However, in mid September the secretary of housing and welfare presented city council with a proposal for even stiffer fines. According to the proposal, a minimal alcohol level would provoke a fineof 20 days of wages, but a higher level of intoxication would cause the loss of 50 days wages and cancellation of any current driver's license.

Source: El Paso Times, El Norte de la Ciudad Juárez