This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday. This is both good news and bad news. If you enjoy Halloween parties, you may be excited for a weekend of fun. However, since Halloween is a holiday that is celebrated by both children and adults, there are safety concerns that law enforcement officers are well aware of. During the late afternoon hours and well into the evening, costumed children take to the streets for trick-or-treating. The increased presence of children on and near roadways increases the risk of pedestrian accidents for all drivers, and law enforcement officers will be out in full force to keep pedestrians as safe as possible. Increased law enforcement presence is likely to lead to more traffic stops. Since law enforcement officers are on a heightened alert for intoxicated drivers, they will not hesitate to test any driver for whom they have the slightest suspicion of intoxication.
Pedestrian safety is not the only focus of law enforcement officers on Halloween, though. The Texas Department of Public Safety is likely to implement a “no refusal weekend” for Halloween this year, after a successful “no refusal weekend” last Halloween. This year, “no refusal weekends” have been implemented on most major holidays, so there is a high likelihood that the same thing will happen on Halloween.
If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the “no refusal weekend”, it is important that you understand how traffic stops during these times differ from regular traffic stops. Whenever there is a “no refusal weekend”, any driver who is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol will be required to submit to roadside breath or blood alcohol testing. If a driver refuses to submit to the testing, they will be arrested. After the driver has been arrested, a blood sample will be obtained from them while they are in police custody. Ordinarily, a driver on Texas roads who refuses roadside blood or breath testing will have their license suspended, but they will not be arrested.
Texas DWI Defense Attorney Alex Tyra – Comprehensive Legal Support for Texas Drivers
If you are pulled over by the police at any point in time, it is important that you do your best to prevent your traffic stop from turning into a DWI investigation. Remain calm, use a respectful tone of voice, and take care not to provide the police officer with much information. If you are taken into custody, exercise your right to remain silent, and ask to speak with an attorney right away. A knowledgeable Texas DWI defense attorney can do many things to build a strong case on your behalf, including checking for issues with the blood draw warrant, looking for mistakes in handling of the blood sample, and questioning the accuracy of the blood test results and the integrity of the procedure for taking and handling the blood sample. If you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, contact an experienced Texas DWI Defense Attorney right away. If you have questions about DWI in Texas, call Texas DWI Defense Attorney Alex Tyra, at (903) 753-7499, or contact us online.