DWI Arrests Are Likely to Increase Over the Thanksgiving Holiday

 Posted on November 24, 2020 in DWI

As you prepare for Thanksgiving, it is important to be aware of the increased risk of being arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving. Holiday get-togethers often involve alcohol consumption, and because of this, police officers will be on the lookout for intoxicated drivers during the extended holiday weekends in November and December. Those who expect to consume alcohol will want to understand the steps they can take to avoid being arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Texas.

Operation CARE and No Refusal Weekends

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has stated that it will be increasing its enforcement efforts over the Thanksgiving weekend, lasting from Wednesday through Sunday. During this time, officers will be conducting more patrols than normal and looking specifically for drivers who are suspected of drunk driving, as well as other traffic violations, such as speeding and driving without a seat belt.

This increased enforcement is part of a national initiative known as Operation CARE (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort), which seeks to ensure that drivers are following traffic laws and operating vehicles safely to protect against dangerous car wrecks. This effort is likely to lead to hundreds of arrests; in 2019, DPS arrested 304 people for DWI during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Drivers should also be aware of the implementation of “no refusal weekends” by local jurisdictions, such as Plano and Collin County. While drivers give implied consent to submit to testing of their blood alcohol content (BAC), such as breath testing, when they are arrested for DWI, they are allowed to refuse testing. This refusal will result in a driver’s license suspension of at least 180 days, but it may allow a driver to avoid criminal charges. However, during no refusal weekends, which take place on major holidays such as Thanksgiving, jurisdictions will be expediting the process of obtaining search warrants that allow them to conduct DWI blood tests even if a driver has not given consent to BAC testing.

Contact Our Collin County DWI Defense Attorneys

If you are arrested and charged with DWI during the Thanksgiving holiday, or at any other time, the Law Offices of Biederman & Burleson P.L.L.C. can provide you with legal help and representation you need and deserve. We will help you determine your best options for defense, and we will work to make sure you can avoid serious charges or penalties whenever possible. With our assistance, you can protect your driver’s license, your freedom, and your reputation. Call our skilled and diligent McKinney drunk driving defense lawyers at 469-333-3333 to set up a free consultation today.

Sources:

https://www.dps.texas.gov/director_staff/media_and_communications/pr/2020/1123a

https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/planners/NoRefusalWeekend/index.htm