The Garland Police Department (GPD) will step up Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) patrols starting Friday, March 4, through Sunday, March 20.
The increased DWI patrols are for an Impaired Driver Mobilization (IDM) project. The project is funded through a TXDOT grant program that targets DWI and Driving Under the Influence by Minors. The patrols will be active in the nighttime hours. Officers will use both marked and unmarked police cars.
GPD officers will apply for blood search warrants for those drivers who refuse to consent to give a specimen of their breath or blood when arrested for DWI-related offenses.
Convicted first-time DWI offenders can pay a fine of up to $2,000. They can also lose their driver’s license for up to a year and serve 180 days in jail. Safety officials say other costs associated with an impaired driving arrest and conviction can add up to more than $17,000. Those costs are for bail, legal fees, court appearances, court-ordered classes, vehicle insurance increases and more.
A person in Texas dies every nine hours and six minutes in a DUI-alcohol-related traffic crash. Last year, 963 people in Texas were killed and 2,114 seriously injured because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired