Killeen Police Increase Patrol Enforcement During Labor Day Weekend

Killeen, TX (September 1, 2023): This holiday weekend between September 1, 2023, and September 4, 2023, as part of a statewide campaign, Killeen Police officers will focus on locating and arresting impaired drivers. Officers will concentrate their efforts on DWI patrols in high-risk sites and at times when impaired drivers are on the roadways causing an increased potential for alcohol-related crashes involving injuries or deaths.

The Texas Department of Public Safety encourages drivers to follow these safety tips:

• Don’t drink and drive. Make alternate plans if you are consuming alcohol.
• Move Over or Slow Down for police, fire, EMS, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) vehicles and tow trucks stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated. Show the same courtesy to fellow drivers who are stopped on the side of the road.
• Buckle up everyone in the vehicle — it’s the law.
• Slow down, especially in bad weather, heavy traffic, unfamiliar areas or construction zones. Eliminate distractions while driving, including the use of mobile devices. Texas law prohibits the use of portable wireless devices to read, write or send an electronic message unless the vehicle is stopped. If you’re using a navigation device or app, have a passenger operate it so you can keep your eyes on the road.
• Drive defensively, as holiday travel can present additional challenges.
• On multi-lane roads, use the left lane for passing only. Not only is it courteous driving and avoids impeding traffic, Texas law requires slower traffic to keep to the right and to use the left lane for passing only (when posted).
• Don’t cut in front of large trucks and try not to brake quickly in front of them. They can’t maneuver as easily as passenger vehicles and pickup trucks.
• Steer It, Clear It: If you are involved in a non-injury crash and your vehicle can be moved, clear the traffic lanes to minimize traffic impact. Leaving vehicles in a traffic lane increases traffic congestion and leaves those involved with an increased risk of harm or a secondary wreck. On some highways, if you don’t move your vehicle when it’s safe to do so, it’s against the law.
• Keep the Texas Roadside Assistance number stored in your phone. Dial 1-800-525-5555 for any type of assistance. The number can also be found on the back of a Texas Driver License.
• Check your vehicle to make sure it is properly maintained and always ensure your cargo is secure.
• Report road hazards or anything suspicious to the nearest law enforcement agency.
• Monitor weather and road conditions wherever you are traveling. For road conditions and closures in Texas, visit Drive Texas.

If you see a driver you believe to be impaired or driving recklessly, please call 911 with the vehicle’s description, direction of travel and license plate number, if possible.

Ofelia Miramontez
Public Affairs
Killeen Police Department