'No Refusal' Campaign Set for July 4th Holiday

The Southlake Police Department will again be participating in the state’s July 4^th Holiday – ‘No Refusal’ traffic enforcement campaign. The goal is to help keep travelers safe and take dangerous drivers off the road.

Beginning June 26th through Tuesday morning, July 7th, SLPD will begin increasing patrols.  Police officers will focus DWI patrols in high-risk locations at times when alcohol-related crashes are most frequent. Individuals arrested for DWI, who refuses to take a breath or blood test, face having their blood drawn once officers seek a search warrant from a judge.

According to TxDOT, in 2014 more than 1,000 people in Texas were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, accounting for 29 percent of the year’s total traffic fatalities.

In Texas, a person is legally intoxicated and may be arrested and charged with DWI with a 0.08 BAC (blood or breath alcohol concentration). However, a person is also intoxicated if impaired due to alcohol or other drugs regardless of BAC. Whether you’re the driver or the passenger, you can be fined up to $500 for having an open alcohol container in a vehicle.

The penalties increase if you are arrested for DWI with a child passenger, cause bodily injury or death to another person.  Besides an arrest for driving while intoxicated, you can also face charges for child endangerment, intoxication assault, or intoxication manslaughter.

The consequences of drinking and driving are severe. The loss of life is tragic for everyone involved. In addition to jail time, drivers who are arrested for driving while intoxicated can face fines, fees, and associated costs of up to $17,000.

The Southlake Police Department is urging everyone to be safe during the July 4^th Holiday; and If you plan to drink, please plan ahead by arranging to have a designated driver bring you home or arrange for a taxi to pick you up.

Don’t risk getting a DWI conviction.

Play it safe by remembering a few simple tips.

 Don’t drink and drive.

• Plan ahead and designate a driver.
• Contact SoberRides.org
• Call a cab, or a sober friend.
• Spend the night where you are, if possible.

Southlake Police Officers want you to arrive home safely. For more information http://www.txdot.gov/safety/tips/intoxication.htm