The Brownsville Police Department hopes to get the message across to every driver getting behind a wheel this Labor Day weekend.
Getting arrested for drunken driving during the Labor Day holiday weekend can cost drunken drivers at least $10,000.
As Americans celebrate the end of summer during the three-day holiday weekend, police believe more people will be out celebrating, especially since there wasn’t a lot of activity last year because of the COVID-19 protocols.
“Besides being arrested and spending the night in jail, you have a lot of these costs that come with it, and I don’t know anyone out there who has over $10,000 to spare,” said investigator Martin Sandoval, spokesman for the Brownsville Police Department.
“We are trying to educate the people that it’s okay to go out and drink, it’s okay to have alcoholic beverages but just be responsible,” Sandoval said. “We need for them to understand that we want them safe.”
With more drivers expected to be on the roads, more officers will also be on the roads to make ensure everyone stays safe. There will be targeting specific locations such as Alton Gloor Boulevard, Ruben Torres Sr. Boulevard, Road, Paredes Line Road, Expressway 77/83 and the Four Corners area of Brownsville.
“There’s going to be just a bit more emphasis on trying to get these drunk drivers off the road since on Labor Day weekend there’s been several drunk driving accidents throughout the nation,” Sandoval said.
There were no fatalities or major accidents during 2020 Labor Day holiday in Brownsville. Drivers mostly stayed off the roads because of the pandemic and safety protocols that were enacted at that time. A major DWI accident did occur in 2019 that resulted in major injuries, Sandoval said.
“That is basically what we are trying to prevent. We are trying to catch these guys before they go and have accidents,” Sandoval said.
According to Brownsville PD, Texas has one of the highest DWI arrest numbers during Labor Day weekends. Car accidents in which alcohol played a role and result in deaths increase by 28% during the Labor Day weekend.
Authorities say if you plan to drink this weekend, please find a sober driver.
“A $20 taxi, Uber or Lyft is much cheaper than a DWI arrest that could cost a person a minimum of $10,000 or a lot more. That is not even mentioning the worst outcome: if it becomes an accident with a death involved.,” the police department stated on its Facebook Page.
“Call a friend, call a family member…Some of these young kids, 21, 22, 23 years old, I am more than sure they can still call their parents and say, ‘Hey, can you come pick me up?’,” Sandoval said.
