The “Drive Sober. No Regrets” marketing campaign was launched this weekend and can run by means of Jan. 1, 2023.
AUSTIN, Texas — As Texans gear up to rejoice the vacations, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reminding drivers to accomplish that responsibly.
TxDOT launched its holiday drunk driving prevention marketing campaign known as “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” It went into impact this weekend and can run by means of Jan. 1 in an effort to remind Texans to discover a protected trip house.
Law enforcement officers throughout the state will probably be focusing on drivers beneath the affect as Texas has seen a rise in crashes attributable to drunk drivers this time of 12 months.
“The biggest consequence a drunk driver faces is injuring or killing themselves or another harmless celebration. They additionally face fines up to $17,000, jail time and even the lack of their driver’s license,” mentioned Sgt. Shana Clark with TxDOT.
TxDOT reported that, final 12 months, Texas noticed greater than 48,600 crashes in the course of the holiday season between Dec. 1 and Jan. 1. More than 400 individuals died and 1,695 suffered severe accidents throughout that interval.
Nearly 1 / 4 of these deaths (23%) have been associated to drunken driving. In these situations, 98 individuals have been killed and 236 have been severely injured.
“Drunk driving is certainly an issue in Texas. Every 7 hours and 57 minutes, somebody dies in an alcohol associated crash on Texas roads. We have a tendency to see extra drunk driving in the course of the holiday interval,” mentioned Sgt. Clark.
During final 12 months’s New Year’s celebrations, TxDOT issued greater than 91,000 citations and warnings.
They are additionally telling individuals it’s best to keep away from driving throughout peak hours from midnight to 2 a.m.
“With everything going on in the world these past few years, we want everyone to be able to celebrate this joyous time of year without the tragic consequences of drinking and driving,” mentioned TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams.
In an effort to cut back drunk driving in the course of the holiday season, TxDOT is encouraging drivers to discover sober rides in the event that they resolve to drink and to by no means get behind the wheel after ingesting.
“Get together with family and friends and have a great time, but please find an alternative way home if you choose to drink. You have many options available,” Williams mentioned.
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