Students Team up to Prevent Drunk Driving
Texas Department of Transportation
AUSTIN, TEXAS – As spring break approaches, TxDOT is teaming up with college students to make sure their celebrations don’t have catastrophic consequences.
The Drive Sober. No Regrets. campaign is traveling to college campuses and spring break hot spots across the state to spread the message that there is always a safe and sober way to get home. TxDOT is partnering with campus-based U in the Driver Seat and student leaders across Texas to reinforce this message with their classmates.
U in the Driver Seat (UDS) was created by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in an effort to reduce the number of impaired driving injuries and deaths of college-aged students. This peer-to-peer initiative was inspired by the highly successful Teens in the Driver Seat which began over 10 years ago, aimed at reducing the large number of teen deaths due to car crashes.
“Every death due to drunk driving is preventable,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “We want students to understand that it’s easy to celebrate spring break safely. By finding a sober ride, taking a cab, using a rideshare, or simply staying put after drinking, students can make sure their families gather for graduation and not a funeral.”
In 2022, there were 810 DUI-alcohol-related traffic crashes during the spring break period, killing 44 people and seriously injuring 90 others. All because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired.
Throughout March, TxDOT will show the real consequences of driving after drinking as it brings its mobile “DUI Not So Fun House” and video exhibit to college campuses and key spring break locations. The mobile exhibit lets people experience the effects of alcohol and the dangers associated with driving under the influence.
TxDOT’s 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 to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.
