CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 25 families in TxDOT's Corpus Christi district lost a loved one due to drunk driving last year. Another 76 people were seriously injured in a drunk driving accident, TxDOT officials said.
The Corpus Christi District includes Aransas, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio counties.
Now that football season is here and tailgating is a popular past time, TxDOT wants to remind people to have a sober rider prepared whenever celebrating this season.
“Fall football is a time-honored tradition in our state, but one regrettable decision to drink and drive could turn game day into jail time or a deadly crash,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. ”Whether fans are tailgating with friends or celebrating their team’s big win, we want everyone to enjoy the season responsibly.”
The Drive Sober. No Regrets. campaign asks everyone to celebrate responsibly to prevent any accidents related to drinking and driving.
According to TxDOT, someone in Texas dies every nine hours and six minutes in a DUI-alcohol-related traffic crash. Last year, 963 people in Texas were killed and 2,114 seriously injured because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired.
In TxDOT’s Corpus Christi District in 2020, there were 580 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes, resulting in 25 fatalities and 76 serious injuries.
In the city of Corpus Christi in 2020, there were 276 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities and 34 serious injuries.
Drinking and driving is 100 percent preventable and can have serious physical, emotional and financial consequences that can last for years.
There are many sober ride options. Designate a sober driver, call a taxi, use a rideshare service, stay put, call a friend or family member or use mass transit to ensure you don’t drive impaired.
Throughout the fall, TxDOT’s Drive Sober. No Regrets. campaign will conduct outreach events at college campuses across the state in conjunction with football season. These events will include a video exhibit, featuring video testimonials of Texans who deal with the daily consequences of drunk driving, either as an offender or survivor. These stories and drunk driving facts can be found at www.facesofdrunkdriving.com.
The Drive Sober. No Regrets. 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, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, never texting and driving and never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
November 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways.
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