The Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding Fourth of July revelers to plan ahead before they party.
鈥淚f you are drinking, make sure you have a designated driver or some other form of transportation,鈥� said DPS Director Steven McCraw. 鈥淥therwise, you could be making a very expensive or even fatal mistake.鈥�
DPS has ramped up DWI patrols and will continue to increase enforcement through July 8. The department will focus their patrols on areas they consider to be high-risk during holiday weekends.
DPS troopers made 1,406 DWI arrests during the Independence Day enforcement period last year.
The Austin Police Department has also announced a "No Refusal" initiative for the Fourth, where suspected drunk drivers will be arrested and have their blood drawn should they not submit to a breathalyzer. APD will enforce the initiative Wednesday, July 4 from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. that morning.
AAA Texas expects nearly 3 million Texans to travel more than 50 miles this weekend, about a five percent increase over the number of travelers last year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranks the Fourth of July holiday "No. 1" for alcohol-related fatal car crashes nationally.
