Officials: Play It Safe This New Year’s Eve

EAST TEXAS — East Texans are gearing up for a new year, and there’s lots to remember when it comes to playing it safe. For starters, officials remind you that thousands of people, often children and teens, are injured each year while using consumer fireworks. There are city ordinances in Tyler and Longview that ban using fireworks within the city limits. And remember, you cannot discharge a firearm in the city limits. Those bullets are going up in the air and they have to come down somewhere.

Then there’s the ongoing threat of alcohol abuse. Through Sunday, extra patrols will be out looking for the drunk driver. And they will participate in the “No-Refusal” DWI Campaign once again. In Smith County, if a suspected drunk driver refuses a breath or blood test, they will get a search warrant from a judge to have blood drawn by a nurse on staff at the county jail. Tyler police spokesman Don Martin says the blood is then analyzed to determine whether the driver’s blood-alcohol concentration is 0.08 or higher, the legal limit for driving in Texas.

Martin says they encourage everyone to be smart over the holiday. Don’t drink and drive. If you find you have had too much to drink, then get a designated driver. Leslie Watson of Mothers against Drunk Driving also notes that you can call a cab or, if available, a ride sharing service to get you home safely.