Halloween is always a big celebration here in Austin. Over 60,000 mask wearing, costume flaunting patrons flock to the streets in the heart of Austin’s Entertainment district; officially known as 6th street and formerly known as Pecan Street. It brings out ghouls, ghosts, zombies, and even Leslie. It is a long standing Austin tradition that brings the good, the bad, and of course, the intoxicated. However, this Halloween weekend there is a new tradition implemented by the Austin Police Department; Halloween is now a ‘No Refusal’ Holiday that began last Halloween weekend. The ‘No Refusal’ policy was enforced by the department from 9pm to 5am Friday and Saturday. Suspected drunk drivers who were pulled over during those hours had to give a breath sample or were forced to give a blood sample by means of blood search warrants signed by an on call judge. During this time 46 people were arrested for DUI. If that seems like an awful lot to you, you don’t want to know last years total.
Last year 96 people were arrested during Halloween weekend. That’s almost 100 known intoxicated drivers out in your city streets and countless unknown. I don’t know about you but that scares me a little. How many times have you seen a drunk driver out in the streets? I’ve almost been hit by a reckless drunk driver and it is no joke. Drunk drivers are pretty easy to spot when they are swerving all over the road. I’ve personally seen quite a few coming home from downtown around 3am. And we all know someone who has gotten a DUI. One time I saw, I swear, two Hispanic men in a running car, lights on, windows down, and beers in their hands and completely passed out in the middle of the road. That’s crazy!
The best thing about the ‘No Refusal’ policy is that it seems to be working. The number of arrest was nearly cut in half. I’m no drunk driving advocate but less intoxicated drivers out on the streets means safer streets. And I am defiantly Pro-Safer streets; we already have to deal with enough crazy sober drivers. I think its safe to say that most people would agree that if ‘No Refusal’ Policy is getting more drunk drivers off the roads then it’s doing its job, and doing it well. We can only hope that next year’s numbers follow the present trend.
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I fully agree with your article, "A Happy Halloween Indeed." I myself avoided going downtown this Halloween because of the increase in drunk drivers after dodging several just while walking to my car from sixth street two years ago on Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI really like this new idea of the 'No Refusal' policy. There are too many deaths and injuries in Texas from drunk drivers every year. The 'No Refusal' policy cuts numbers of drunk drivers down because they know if they get pulled over they can't refuse a breath sample of blood sample.
I wish the 'No Refusal' policy could be a law in Texas for every day of the year. Last month at 5 p.m. my Dad was hit by a drunk driver at a stop light. (He's fine)Of course it didn't help the fact that the drunk driver was an illegal immigrant.
This was in the middle of the day on a weekday! The sad thing is that this occurs more often than we know.
I liked your comment on how less intoxicated drivers means safer streets. It is also true that especially Austin drivers can't even drive sober. Much less drunk! I like the fact that the now annual Halloween weekend 'No Refusal' policy has cut the numbers of drunk drivers in half.
If the 'No Refusal' policy could be an every day thing, I wonder what it would do to the state wide numbers of drunk drivers in Texas.