DWI Arrests are Down, but Why?

TYLER - Police in Longview and Tyler say D.W.I. arrests from December 1st to December 29th have gone down by nearly half since last year, but they're not sure why.

Law enforcement officials aren't shy. They admit they're looking to stop and arrest East Texans drinking and driving.

Kara Finkner thinks advertisements like these about drunk driving penalties could be the reason the number of arrests for D.W.I. have gone down in Tyler and Longview for the month of December.

"Maybe the people who are you know more involved in getting these people off the streets," Finkner says.

Plus she thinks people are finally understanding the message.

"Hopefully people are getting smarter about it," Finkner adds.

But for those who aren't—officers are ready.

In Longview, off-duty officers are now paid through the federal STEP Grant to catch D.W.I. offenders.

The City of Longview is offering free rides for New Years Eve to cut down on drunk drivers.

Tyler police and other agencies have started using the "no refusal" program.

This means if you decline to take a breathalyzer test, officers can give you a blood test on scene, and you can't refuse it.

Ms. Finkner says she's excited to see officers cracking down on drunk drivers, especially since she now has five month-old Danielle in the car with her.

"They should get caught because it's not right. Too many people get killed that way," she says.

And she prays with fewer people drinking and driving, there's less of a chance Danielle will be a victim.