STEP WAVE PROGRAM TARGETS ALCOHOL RELATED FATALITIES
According to the US Department of Transportation, alcohol related fatalities have decreased by 23 percent over the past 10 years, but it is still a significant problem. One in three traffic fatalities involve a driver who had been drinking. While it is recognized that enforcement is necessary, education is also becoming an important factor.
“The goal of the Texas Department of Transportation’s STEP WAVE program is to educate drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving, and to provide the funding for law enforcement agencies to enforce the DWI laws. We’ve been able to participate in the program this year, and believe the knowledge that we are out in force over holiday periods, like the Fourth of July, does prevent drinking and driving,” said Chief Dant Lange.
“We appreciate the funding we receive from TxDOT to participate in the program. It allows off duty officers the ability to work the enforcement periods, while on duty officers focus on their regular patrol duties. Any time we can take advantage of a program that helps us protect our citizens and visitors, we are happy to do so,” Lange said.
The enforcement period ran from June 26 to July 7, 2015.
While educating drivers about drinking and driving is a very worthwhile endeavor, the arresting and prosecution is the best solution to the problem. It has always been a concern about the numerous beer drinking establishments all over the county, whose patrons on a daily basis consume alcohol for hours and then drive home. This has been occuring daily for decades. And the weddings on the weekends where large quantities of alcohol are consumed in the same event centers all summer and fall. Making stops of these drivers after they leave is a fairly simple task, but is seldom done. So, why? Could it be that the owners of these “store” beer joints have ties to local government, or faithful campaign contributors, contribute to the local tax revenue? Seems like more stops for marijuana are made than for alcohol consumption. No taxes of any kind collected on marijuana, just lots of court and attorney fees. Do you really expect our young people to pay any attention to this DWI education? They see these places and adult customers( many parents) ignoring these laws every day. Many of us have known persons who have been directly hurt by habitual drunk drivers, the loss of life is staggering. It will only end when we demand that our law enforcement officials arrest these violaters of the law, without thought as to who owns the joint where they consumed the alcohol.