Texas Officials Urge Residents To Stay Safe July 4

AUSTIN, TX — This will be no ordinary 4th of July given the growing reach of the coronavirus. Given the reality amid such challenging times — and on a day when a gubernatorial order mandating the wearing of face coverings to blunt the spread of illness — government officials heightened the traditional warnings to stay safe in the midst of revelry.

"Community leaders across Austin-Travis County are joining to share their safe 4th of July plans and reminding Austin-Travis County residents to stay safe," officials wrote in an advisory. To that end, officials of all stripes issued statements urging residents to stay safe. Among them:

• Dr. Jason Pickett, Austin-Travis County Alternate Health Authority: LINK
• Dr. John Abikhaled, President, Travis County Medical Society: LINK
• Dr. Jewel Mullen, Associate Dean for Health Equity, Dell Medical School: LINK
• Bruce Elfant, Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector: LINK
• Carlos Lopez, Travis County Constable: LINK
• Margaret Moore, Travis County District Attorney: LINK

Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday issued Executive Order GA-29 giving local officials the authority to enforce the wearing of face coverings in public. Local leaders have since heeded the governor’s orders, embarking on plans to implement enforcement across the county.

Take Austin, for example. In response to the gubernatorial order, the city released a complementary city order reflecting the governor’s version. “This new local order takes full advantage of new tools in the Governor’s latest orders — making masks mandatory and enforceable while also prohibiting groups over ten,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a prepared statement.

Added Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe: “It is now on each of us to do our part — for our communities and for our loved ones — especially this holiday weekend.”

In response to the governor's order, Biscoe issued a statement: "Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe appreciates Gov. Abbott for issuing Executive Order GA-29 mandating masks in Texas effective July 3rd. Travis County will actively enforce this order. Additionally, under the governor’s Amended Executive Order GA-28, the Travis County Judge has the authority to approve gatherings in excess of 10 people. At this time, Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe has no intention of putting in place a permitting process for such gatherings, at least through the July 4th holiday weekend. Therefore, per the governor’s order today [Thursday], all such gatherings are prohibited in unincorporated areas of Travis County."

For more information and updates about COVID-19, visit austintexas.gov/covid19.

The Texas Department of Public Safety kept its holiday message more in keeping with tradition, referencing its efforts to weed out drunk driving from state roadways. To that end, Operation CARE (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort) and Operation Holiday will be implemented to help keep drivers safe on Texas roadways, state law enforcement officials said. The enforcement efforts will run through July 5, officials added.

As a result, troopers are on the lookout for individuals who do not adhere to the Move Over, Slow Down law, as well as those who commit other traffic violations such as DWI, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt. The former involves steering clear of emergency vehicles, including tow trucks, on highway shoulders by shifting over to the next available lane or slowing down considerably.

Operation Holiday focuses on individuals who violate traffic laws, the state agency added. During the 2019 enforcement campaign, Troopers issued more than 94,252 citations and warnings, including 1,593 seat belt and child safety restraint citations. DPS enforcement efforts also resulted in 8,601 speeding citations; 395 DWI arrests; and 320 fugitive arrests, officials added.

Operation CARE is geared towards reducing crashes and looking for violations of the state’s Move Over, Slow Down law, with the Texas Department of Transportation assisting troopers in a non-enforcement capacity. The law, originally passed in 2003, requires drivers to move over or slow down when certain vehicles — including police, fire, EMS, TxDOT vehicles and tow trucks — are stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated. During the Fourth of July enforcement period last year, officials noted, there were 661 warnings and 224 citations issued for people who violated the Move Over, Slow Down law.

To ensure adherence, the Texas Department of Public Safety offered the following safety tips for those traveling this Fourth of July:

• Don’t drink and drive. Make alternate plans if you are consuming alcohol.
• Move Over or Slow Down for police, fire, EMS, TxDOT vehicles and tow trucks stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated. Show the same courtesy to fellow drivers who are stopped on the side of the road.
• Buckle up everyone in the vehicle — it’s the law.
• Slow down, especially in bad weather, heavy traffic, unfamiliar areas or construction zones.
• Eliminate distractions while driving, including the use of mobile devices. Texas law prohibits the use of portable wireless devices to read, write or send an electronic message unless the vehicle is stopped.
• Drive defensively, as holiday travel can present additional challenges.
• On multi-lane roadways, use the left lane for passing only. Not only is it courteous driving and avoids impeding traffic, Texas law requires slower traffic to keep to the right and to use the left lane for passing only (when posted).
• If you can Steer It, Clear It: If you are involved in a non-injury crash and your vehicle can be moved, clear the traffic lanes to minimize traffic impact. Leaving vehicles in a traffic lane increases traffic congestion and leaves those involved with an increased risk of harm or a secondary wreck. On some highways, if you don’t move your vehicle when it’s safe to do so, you’re violating the law.
• Check your vehicle to make sure it is properly maintained and always ensure your cargo is secure.
• Report road hazards or anything suspicious to the nearest law enforcement agency.
• Monitor weather and road conditions wherever you are traveling. For road conditions and closures in Texas, visit Drive Texas.

From the state capital, Austin Mayor Steve Adler offered words of guidance. Given the unprecedented times during which we now live, the mayor input as subject line to his regular emailed advisories: "This weekend must be different, please."

In his holiday missive, Adler appealed to Texans' sense of community in calling for the tactics of social distancing amid the revelery of Independence Day: "This weekend, as we reflect and celebrate our freedoms, it comes with the reminder that that our way of life sometimes requires each of us to act selflessly for the common good," he wrote. "Our experts and scientists tell us that we’re on a virus trajectory that could, in the next couple weeks, inundate our hospitals and present serious challenges and risks for our doctors and nurses. This weekend, and the coming week(s), our collective behavior will decide"

The mayor's plea comes amid record-breaking rates of the coronavirus illness across the state. On Friday, officials with the Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additiional 7,500 coronavirus cases and another 50 deaths resulting from a respiratory illness for which there is still no vaccine.

"Anecdotally over the last week or so, it may be that our community is acting together more to try to lower the rate of virus increase," Adler wrote. "Maybe we’ve started to see behaviors change —more masking and distancing, less gathering. It’s too early to know."

The mayor of the state's capital reminded residents that Gov. Greg Abbott made masks mandatory for residents while outdoors. The mandate comes with a fine structure allowing for fines of up to $250 to be assessed to violators. Moreover, the order bans gatherings of more than ten people.

"This will save lives in our community and across Texas," Adler wrote.

For his part, Adler issued a new local order he said takes full advantage of new tools in the governor's orders that make the wearing of protective face coverings mandatory while limiting crowd sizes.

"This holiday weekend, we cannot repeat the gatherings that occurred Memorial Day weekend," Adler wrote. "The spike in infections that followed significantly contributed to where we are now. This weekend must be different. Our city, state and country are in a different place now than we were on Memorial Day. People are seeing the direct repercussions of their conduct and actions."

He added: "Please, continue to stay home as much as possible. Mask. Only go out if it’s necessary. Do take out and delivery. Avoid any groups or gatherings. Mask. Keep your distance, and be safe when you do leave your home. Mask. This weekend, I hope each of you are safely with loved ones, either in your household or virtually. Now is the time each of us must selflessly act to protect what we cherish."