Abilene Police Join Fight Against Drinking and Driving

ABILENE, Texas - The Abilene Police Department joined forces with the Texas Department of transportation and other agencies across Texas to form the Impaired Driver Mobilization (IDM) Campaign.  

The purpose of the IDM Campaign is to reduce the number of DWI related crashes, injuries, and fatalities through the use of dedicated DWI patrols. Alcohol related traffic fatalities continue to occur on the roadways of Abilene. Over the past five years, 19 people have lost their lives in Abilene due to alcohol related crashes.

From August 19 to September 5, 2016, the Abilene Police Department will deploy dedicated DWI patrols on the streets. These DWI patrols will consist of officers working in an overtime capacity and will be dedicated solely to the detection and apprehension of DWI offenders. This effort is funded by a grant in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation.

“Drunk driving is not a victimless crime. Lives are at stake,” said Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge. “It is a myth to believe DWI is defined as way too drunk. Instead, intoxication is defined as not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties, or having an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. We want everyone to have safe holidays, and that includes intentional efforts to avoid drunk driving."

Drivers have many alternatives to driving while intoxicated. They can call a cab, ask a friend or a family member for a ride, hand their keys to a designated driver or simply stay put until they sober up. They also can take advantage of TxDOT’s website SoberRides.org, which lists ride options in areas throughout Texas.

DWI is a serious crime and is 100 percent preventable. Convicted first-time DWI offenders can pay a fine of up to $2,000, lose their driver license for up to a year and serve as much as 180 days in jail. Other consequences associated with a DWI arrest and conviction can add up to as much as $17,000 or more for bail, legal fees, court appearances, court-ordered classes, vehicle insurance increases and other expenses.