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DPS Expands Drunken-Driving Patrols Through July 4th Weekend

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More state troopers are being mobilized to expand the search for drunken drivers on Texas highways through the July 4th weekend.

For the next 12 days, the Texas Department of Public Safety says focus its search for drunken drivers on high-risk locations at high-risk times of day or night.

During a July 4th enforcement period last year, more than 1,000 drivers were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Of those, 219 were the direct result of a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation that facilitated increased patrols during that period.

TxDOT said more than 1,000 people died in vehicle crashes in Texas last year that involved a driver under the influence of alcohol. That's more than 29 percent of the state's overall traffic toll.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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