TxDOT kicks off spring break drinking and driving campaign

ATLANTA, Texas — Drunken drivers claim the lives of hundreds of Texans every year, and spring break can be a particularly deadly time, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT’s “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” campaign is working with college students around the state to highlight the dangers of impaired driving by sharing stories from people who have experienced the consequences firsthand.

One person in Texas dies every seven hours and 43 minutes in a DUI-alcohol related traffic crash, according to a news release from TxDOT. In 2021, 1,134 people in Texas were killed and 2,565 seriously injured because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired. During spring break of 2021, Texas recorded 874 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes resulting in 31 deaths and 107 serious injuries.

Across the Atlanta District, which includes Bowie and Cass counties, in 2021, there were 330 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes resulting in 22 fatalities and 51 serious injuries. In this area during the 2021 spring break holiday period, there were eight DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes resulting in two serious injuries.

In Texarkana in 2021, there were 48 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes resulting in six serious injuries. In Texarkana during the 2021 spring break holiday period, there were two DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes resulting in one serious injury. “Spring break can be such an exciting time for our college students, we just want them to remember that there can be real consequences if they get behind the wheel under the influence of any amount of alcohol. With so many sober ride options available, there’s really no excuse to drive after you’ve been drinking,” Atlanta District Engineer Rebecca Wells said in a news release. TxDOT is partnering with college campus-based U in the Driver Seat, a peer-to-peer program led by students at Texas A&M University, focused on saving lives by preventing traffic crashes. Student leaders from around the state will join the campaign and urge their fellow students to always find a sober ride. Throughout this month, TxDOT’s “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” campaign will host outreach events at key spring break locations. Each event will showcase a mobile video exhibit featuring testimonials from Texans who understand the consequences of drunken driving, either as offenders or survivors. These stories and tips for finding a sober ride can be found at SoberRides.org.

The campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.