Drunk driving accidents are common in the state of Texas, with a crash involving an intoxicated driver occurring approximately every 20 minutes. This statistic has many people worried, which is why the Texas Department of Transportation has set out to do its part in making a change.
Most recently, it pushed its “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” campaign over the Labor Day holiday. With this campaign, the state hoped to show drivers that drinking and driving is dangerous and it comes with severe consequences.
The deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation said, “Drinking and driving puts you and others at risk of being killed or injured. At the very least, you can face expensive fines, jail time and loss of your driver’s license.” This shows that even when somebody is not injured or killed in an accident, the consequences can still be severe.
Last year, one out of every three Texas roadway deaths were attributed to driving under the influence of alcohol. This worked out to almost 1,100 fatalities.
The Texas Department of Transportation continues to do its part in helping everybody remain safe, through campaigns, outreach events, and sharing information through the media.
Drunk driving accidents could be eliminated in their entirety if all people would come to the conclusion that getting behind the wheel after drinking is a mistake. This can cause injury or death, in the event of an accident, along with other dreadful consequences. Furthermore, if individuals are injured in such accidents, they may wish to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Source: Your Houston News, “Drink. Drive. Go to jail.” Aug. 30, 2014