New Texas Law Makes Drunk Drivers More Accountable

Twitter/@GregAbbott_TX

A brand new law in Texas adds a new layer of accountability to driving while intoxicated that will prove to be both a deterrent and the closest we as a society may get to restitution for the families and children who’ve lost parents to drunk driving accidents.

According to CNN, the legislation that took effect Sep. 1, requires persons convicted of intoxication manslaughter must pay restitution to the victim’s children in the form of child-support payments until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, “whichever is later.” 

The state of Texas defines “intoxication manslaughter” as the situation in which a person operates “a motor vehicle in a public place, operates an aircraft, a watercraft, or an amusement ride, or assembles a mobile amusement ride; and is intoxicated and by reason of that intoxication causes the death of another by accident or mistake.”

The law was signed into effect in July by Gov. Greg Abbott who said, “I was proud to sign HB 393 into law this year to require offenders to pay child support for the children of their victims.”

"Any time a parent passes is tragic, but a death at the hands of a drunk driver is especially heinous," the Republican governor wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "I was proud to sign HB 393 into law this year to require offenders to pay child support for the children of their victims."

Texas just made it crystal clear to the nation that it is leading the way in making drunk drivers pay for the lives they take through their irresponsibility and callous disregard for others. Texas is now making the perpetrators of intoxicated vehicular manslaughter financially responsible for the care of the deceased’s children. This is what actual social responsibility looks like, not socialism, not collectivism, but real life, hard-hitting, meaningful consequences that actually take a measure toward paying back the impossible debt incurred upon a family when a parent is ripped away.

There are really very few instances where we can look at a new law, let alone a child support law, and nod approvingly. But this is definitely one of them. This is a bright spot. This is deterrence and this is at least something that approaches restitution. Texas should be lauded for this, and we should work to make this a reality in all fifty states.

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Matthew Holloway