Millions are within the midst of late procuring for holiday items and arrivals at locations for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday weekends that shut out the 12 months.
Law enforcement businesses reminds of risks that include both — burglaries, thefts and site visitors accidents.
Those holiday items for family members bought at space malls and stores and even delivered to doorsteps can simply wind up within the palms of strangers. Citizens can keep away from that by not leaving items in plain sight.
“Don’t leave your packages in cars,” Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds mentioned. “Just like we say every year — be vigilant about your surroundings and don’t try to carry multiple packages out to cars all at once.”
Reynolds mentioned CCSO yearly receives calls on thefts of packages from residential doorsteps.
“Be mindful of delivery dates and if you’re not going to be home, call a neighbor to watch out,” he mentioned.
New Braunfels Police Department’s LOCK, TAKE, and HIDE program is a year-round effort that reminds drivers to at all times LOCK their automobile, to TAKE their valuables with them after they go away their automobile, or to a minimum of HIDE them from plain sight.
“These simple steps drastically deter most burglars and significantly reduce the likelihood of you becoming a victim,” mentioned David Ferguson, metropolis communications coordinator. “This is especially true during the holiday shopping season when valuable items are more likely to be left in vehicles.”
On the highway
Millions of travelers can be touring to and from holiday locations over the following 10 days.
The Texas Department of Public Safety encourages all to finish 2021 safely.
Troopers started conducting Christmas and New Year’s holiday site visitors enforcement campaigns on Thursday, wanting for people who find themselves rushing, not carrying their seat belts, driving whereas intoxicated or committing different site visitors violations.
“It’s always nice to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, but please keep the well-being of other travelers at the forefront of your mind as you head out,” DPS Director Steven McCraw mentioned. “Troopers will be protecting the public on the roads, but we depend on other drivers to do their part, as well, so everyone can have a safe and happy holiday.”
Texas Highway Patrol will improve enforcement as a part of two initiatives: The nationwide Operation CARE (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort), which runs by Jan. 2, in addition to Operation Holiday, which runs concurrently Friday by Sunday.
Last 12 months’s holiday enforcement efforts noticed 116,810 citations and warnings issued and included 14,499 rushing citations; 1,636 seat belt and little one seat violations; 2,625 citations for driving with out insurance coverage; and 820 citations and warnings for violations underneath the “move Over, Slow Down” marketing campaign. Those and different enforcement efforts resulted in 1,185 felony arrests, 615 DWI arrests and 355 fugitives arrested.
The Texas Department of Transportation’s “Drive Sober, No Regrets” marketing campaign this month featured video testimonials from residents who cope with the each day penalties of drunk driving, both as an offender or survivor.
“It is our hope that these moving, first-hand accounts will encourage all of us to make the right choice and not ever drive after drinking or doing anything that can alter our judgment,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams mentioned. “We don’t want to turn a happy time of year into one that could be marked by tragic loss caused by someone’s poor decision to drink and drive.”
There had been 2,462 DUI-alcohol associated site visitors crashes in Texas throughout final 12 months’s month-long marketing campaign that ended Jan. 1, 2021. Those crashes killed 93 folks and critically injured one other 215.
Drinking and driving is 100% preventable and might have critical bodily, emotional and monetary penalties that may final for years. A DWI can harm or kill somebody, devastating the lives of victims and survivors perpetually. It may also trigger vital and costly authorized points, create problem discovering or protecting a job and convey a lifetime of remorse.
There are many sober trip choices obtainable. Designate a sober driver, name a taxi, use a rideshare service, keep put, name a buddy or member of the family, or use mass transit to make sure you don’t drive impaired.
NBPD’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) receives state and federal funds so as to add officers at numerous occasions all year long.
“NBPD officers will be working hard over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to keep local roads safe,” Ferguson mentioned. “That comes in a variety of forms, from regular traffic patrols to increased enforcement through the STEP grants, which allow us to have extra officers on patrol specifically targeting speeders, drunk drivers, distracted drivers, not wearing seatbelts, along with those who disregard traffic signals at busy intersections.”
Reynolds mentioned CCSO deputies may also be looking out on State Highway 46, U.S. 281, Farm-to-Market Roads 2722, Purgatory Road, the FM 306/FM 2673 horseshoe intersection, and different highly-traveled venues.
“We’ll be out in force with our normal patrol shifts,” Reynolds mentioned. “Nothing stops due to the holiday. We just ask that people be careful and take their time because they’ll be a lot more traffic than usual — probably for the next 10 days.
“We’ll be having (deputies) out Christmas Eve and Christmas, and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. We ask that people be cognizant of the traffic and that they just be careful.”