The holidays are a fantastic time to meet up with friends and family and hang out and have a good time but when there are alcoholic beverages involved you need to be careful and be responsible. You should never drink and drive and that message has been out there for years, but people still do not heed the warning. The Tyler Police Department and Smith County Sheriff's department will be on the lookout for drunk drivers throughout Christmas and past the New Year holiday.

Both agencies will be patrolling for drunk drivers and they will not take "no" for an answer. With help from the Texas Department of Transportation, the Smith Co. D.A.'s office and multiple agencies throughout the county will participate in the 'No Refusal' DWI Campaign. If a suspected drunk driver is arrested, they will be asked to submit to a blood test or have their breath tested by a machine and if the offender says, "No", the officers will obtain an immediate search warrant signed by a judge that's on call so when they arrive at the Smith County Jail, the nurse on duty can draw blood for a test. The blood will then be tested for the offender's blood alcohol content. If it is 0.08 or higher, which is the legal limit in the State of Texas for driving, they will be arrested for DWI.

To be safe, simply, don't drink and drive. Tyler PD says this program has been successful in previous years because it makes drivers more aware and a bit terrified that they could be pulled over and tested for sobriety with or without their consent. Stay safe and have a Merry Christmas and safe New Year.

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