Apr. 1--Texas is one of just 10 states that don't allow sobriety checkpoints, but that may change soon.

Opponents are gearing up for a fight after the state Senate passed a bill this week allowing checkpoints under certain conditions. The matter now moves to the House, where Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless, is the author of an identical bill.

"We're concerned the bill seems to have some traction there in Texas," said Sarah Longwell, managing director of the Washington-based American Beverage Institute, which represents restaurants. Longwell said she intends to travel to Austin to testify when the bill, which was approved in action Monday and Tuesday by the Senate, is heard in the House.

The institute argues that checkpoints target casual drinkers rather than the binge drinkers who cause most fatal accidents. Previous efforts to allow drunken-driving checkpoints have failed, but supporters say the mood is decidedly different this year.

"I think they realize how many lives will be saved. We're talking about 300 lives a year in Texas," said Mary Kardell of Irving-based Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Kardell is executive director of MADD's North Texas affiliate.

The bill that passed the Senate, SB298 by Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, would allow only certain agencies to operate checkpoints. Among them:

The Texas Department of Public Safety.

Municipal police in cities with populations of 500,000 or more.

Sheriff's departments in counties with populations of 250,000 or more.

If the bill becomes law, states could begin operating roadblocks Sept. 1 -- or immediately if two-thirds of lawmakers approve it.

"Our city is plagued by problems that go with drinking and driving. It's something that, if the Legislature gives us authority to do it, I look forward to quick implementation," said Arlington Councilman Jimmy Bennett.

Ten people were killed in crashes in Arlington during the first 10 weeks of the year, and half those accidents involved alcohol or drugs, police said.

Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck said he expects to testify during House hearings and hopes to lower the threshold so cities such as Arlington, which has a population of under 500,000, can conduct checkpoints.

"We want to be careful in targeting the right area, where we see the most DWIs. I think our police would know better where the problems are," Cluck said.

But the American Beverage Institute argues that stepped-up rolling DWI patrols are far more effective than checkpoints. And, she said, new technologies such as an iPhone application known as Trapster allow users to warn others about roadblock locations.

"You get the bad guys going around them and the good guys getting caught up in them," she said.

GORDON DICKSON, 817-390-7796

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