The Austin Police Department will be monitoring the roads extra carefully this weekend, and enforcing a "no refusal" mandate; law enforcement will be able to quickly obtain a warrant to test the blood-alcohol level of any suspected drunk driver who objects to a Breathalyzer or blood test.
Fourth of July revelers who don’t think they’ll make fit drivers this weekend will have their pick of get-home-safe cards.
1. Capital Metro has some late-night options, including year-round Night Owl buses that run until 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Night Owl services travel five different routes between popular spots on 6th Street and city neighborhoods.
2. AAA is offering a Tipsy Tow service. Lounge in the front seat as they tow your car home – the first ten miles are free and the program runs through midnight on July 4th. Call 1-800-AAA-HELP to be dragged back to your place.
3. Uber, a ridesharing service operating without the blessing of the city of Austin, is running a holiday deal this weekend. According to the company’s blog, for every ride taken on July 4, they will donate $1 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Of course, the old standby of designating a driver is always a safe option – or you could avoid imbibing altogether.