Texas Pushes Safe Driving Campaign After Rise in Holiday Alcohol-Related Fatalities

Rising alcohol-related road deaths during the holiday season prompted the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to start a statewide campaign against drunk driving. TxDOT claims that alcohol accounts for one out of every four traffic deaths in Texas, rising to 28% over the holidays.

Stories highlighting the terrible results, like Yolanda Carson's call to attention in 2013, saw the death of the 23-year-old daughter of Carson, Jade Jiles, from a drunk driver assisting a friend in looking for a missing puppy. Jiles left behind a six-month-old son, never to know his mother.

Don't get behind the wheel and drink and drive. Simply said, Carson said, it is not worth it.

TxDOT is working with Walmart this year to spread awareness by means of interactive exhibitions at Texas shops, reminding Christmas visitors to make safe ride home plans. The agency stresses alternatives to drunk driving, whether by rideshare, designated driver, or public transit.

With the third-highest percentage nationally, Texas ranked among the top states for alcohol-related crashes in 2022, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration analysis.

The campaign of TxDOT reminds us soberingly of the life-altering repercussions of drunk driving. This Christmas, Texans are advised to make wise decisions to save lives and stop catastrophes.

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