Texas Steps Up DWI Enforcement for Fourth of July Weekend

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced plans to put more law enforcement officers on duty during this July 4th weekend. You may already have noticed more officers patrolling high-risk locations, such as the Fort Worth Stockyards and the Dallas Deep Ellum. The increased DWI patrol began on June 26 and runs through July 7. 

On the day we celebrate our freedom, hundreds of drunk drivers will be in jail, which is better than them being out on the road. 

Increased Enforcement Results in High Rate of DWI Arrests

In 2014, DPS troopers arrested more than 1,050 drunk drivers during the stepped-up Fourth of July holiday enforcement period. In addition to DWI arrests, DPS troopers also issued more than 15,000 speeding tickets and more than 2,500 citations for failure to use a seat belt or child car seat. 

Although DWI fatalities increase during the holiday weekend, alcohol and driving is always a deadly combination. In 2014, more than 1,000 people died on Texas roadways in accidents involving a drunk driver, accounting for 29 percent of the year’s traffic accident deaths.

“The most dangerous holiday of the year.”

Forbes magazine called July Fourth “the most dangerous holiday of the year.” Alcohol is one of the biggest reasons for its rightfully-earned dangerous reputation. Every year, hundreds of inebriated people detonate fireworks or get behind the wheel of an automobile, resulting in deaths and injuries. 512 people died in automobile accidents over the Fourth of July weekend in 2013. 199 (39 percent) of those fatalities involved at least one driver who was legally too drunk to drive. The high rate of alcohol-related deaths was even higher in the 18 to 34 year old age bracket. A devastating 45 percent of all young drivers killed in traffic accidents during the Fourth of July weekend were alcohol impaired in 2013.

Tips for Staying Safe on Dallas-Fort Worth Roads this Weekend

A DWI arrest or drunk driving accident can turn a fun celebration into a terrible tragedy. That last beer is not worth it. Instead, plan ahead to keep yourself and your friends safe. Here are some tips from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) for enjoying a safe Fourth of July holiday:

• Make your plan for getting home safely before the fun starts
• Designate your sober driver before you begin to drink
• Input the number of a taxi or car service into your phone’s contacts list
• Call a taxi or a sober family member or friend if you become too impaired to drive
• If you think your friend might drive drunk, take her or his keys and arrange for your friend’s safe ride home
• Avoid being on the road during peak drunk driving times, such as following a fireworks display or late at night, because even though you might be sober, other drivers aren’t

Get the Help You Need if You are Injured by a Drunk Driver

Berenson Law Firm can help you recover your damages if you are injured by a drunk driver in any city in North Texas. Call our personal injury law firm at 817.885.8000 for a free case evaluation.