HPD Joins Other Agencies in Statewide July 4th DWI Crackdown

June 30, 2011 - The Houston Police Department, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.), the Harris County and Montgomery County District Attorney's Offices and 25 other state and local law enforcement agencies, joined together for a statewide "No Refusal" July 4th holiday weekend today.

Photos of today's news conference are attached to this news release.



During "No Refusal" weekends, motorists suspected of driving drunk are legally required to provide a breath or blood sample to law enforcement. Those who refuse to comply will be taken to jail, where a search warrant is signed and a mandatory blood sample is taken by a qualified health care professional. A blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is considered legally intoxicated.

Captain Carl Driskell of the HPD Traffic Enforcement Division said, "A sad statistic is that more than 50 percent of fatal accidents in Houston in 2010 were alcohol related and we've got to do something to correct that." Capt. Driskell added, "DWI is 100 percent preventable and it's simple; don't drink and drive, get a designated driver."

Harris County is currently ranked number one in the nation for drunk driving related fatalities. More than 1,200 Texans are killed each year as a result of drunk drivers.

HPD reminds everyone to celebrate the 4th of July festivities responsibly to avoid drunk driving fatalities.

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