Desloge Police to participate in DWI Enforcement Campaign

The Desloge Police Department will participate in the Statewide Holiday DWI Enforcement Campaign to stop people from driving impaired this holiday season.

Enforcement efforts will be increased Dec. 5-12 and will focus on reducing deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired drivers.

Consider some of the consequences if you are caught driving while intoxicated:

For the first conviction (or first conviction in more than five years), your license will be suspended 30 days followed by a 60-day suspension if a hardship license is not obtained.

A second conviction results in a $1,000 fine, a year-long revocation of license and up to a year in jail. You will also be required to install and ignition interlock system in your vehicle, preventing your car from starting when you have alcohol on your breath.

Third and subsequent convictions can be penalized with up to a $5,000 fine, a 10-year license denial and/or up to seven years in jail.

If you cause a fatal crash while intoxicated, you could be charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony resulting in up to seven years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

In 2010, 240 people were killed and 962 seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver.