Could Liability Insurance for Bars Curb Drunk Driving?

This legislative session, Arlington Rep. Chris Turner pre-filed a bill that would hold bars responsible for the behavior of over-served customers, requiring all bars in the state carry minimum liability insurance.

While Turner’s bill may seem onerous to some bar owners, he argues his proposal to require bars to have insure bars would insulate owners from lawsuits and, ultimately, curb drunk driving.

In 2013, 1,357 Texans died in alcohol-related crashes, and 14 of those fatalities happened in Turner’s Arlington district.

"We’ve seen cases, tragic cases unfortunately, where someone was over-served in such an establishment went out and caused a terrible accident," Turner says. "And then the family that was injured is trying to recoup some damages because of medical costs, and the bar simply goes out of business because they have no liability policy."

Turner's HB 409 would make liability insurance mandatory for bars and restaurants that generate at least 50 percent of their revenue from alcohol.

Read more: http://kut.org/post/could-liability-insurance-bars-curb-drunk-driving