State warns of drunken driving crackdown

McALLEN – The Texas Department of Transportation will work to keep drunken drivers off the roads during a two-week crackdown, said Col. Steve McCraw, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“Those of us who have been working for many years to reduce drunken driving in Texas have heard just about every excuse in the book,” McCraw said in a statement. “Some say they aren’t going very far. Others don’t want to pay for a cab. Too many say they’ve always made it home before without a problem.

All of these are just excuses, and they won’t work if you use them when a law enforcement officer pulls you over. They also are no consolation to the family of someone killed or injured by a drunk driver.”

According to preliminary tallies, 955 Texans were killed due to drunken driving last year and another 17,500 were injured in alcohol-related crashes.

So in an effort to reduce the number of fatalities, TxDOT launched its annual “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail” campaign earlier this month.

It also partnered with Department of Public Safety officials who will work overtime for two weeks to arrest anyone who gets behind the wheel after drinking. That initiative will begin Friday and will run through the Labor Day Holiday, which ends Sept. 6.

Last year during the two-week crackdown, officers throughout Texas worked a combined total of nearly 18,000 hours while looking for impaired drivers, McCraw said.

“Texans have many choices for how to get home after a few drinks,” he added.

Calling a cab, designating a sober driver, using public transportation, staying put or getting a ride from a family member or friend were among a list of options for drivers. 

Convicted first-time DWI offenders can face a fine of up to $2,000, lose their driver’s license for up to a year and serve up to 180 days in jail, McCraw said. He also mentioned that other costs associated with an impaired driving arrest and conviction can add up to more than $17,000.

“If you’re caught drinking and driving in Texas, you will go to jail,” he warned.