(WBAP/KLIF) – Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, along with other law enforcement agencies in North Texas and across the state, began increasing patrols Thursday on roads and highways this holiday season.
According to the Insurance Council of Texas, the Lone Star state leads the nation in the number of alcohol related traffic deaths. Every year, 40 percent of traffic fatalities in Texas are the result of drinking and driving. Texas also leads the nation in the number of traffic fatalities, which have risen every year since 2010. The state has recorded at least one traffic fatality every day since Nov. 7, 2000. In 2017, there were 2,469 alcohol-related crashes in Texas during the holiday season. Those crashes killed 96 people and seriously injured another 202.
“We will have all available troopers working during the holiday season because of the increase in traffic and making sure that drivers obey our laws,” said Texas DPS Sgt. Robbie Barrera. She urged motorists to avoid drinking and driving. “A night on the town is just not worth it if you wind up causing a crash that kills or injures someone.”
The Insurance Council says driving under the influence is not only dangerous to yourself and everyone on the road but also costly if you’re stopped and arrested. According to TxDot, drivers under the influence of alcohol could face up to $17,000 in fines, fees, and could lose their license.
“Obtaining a lawyer and dealing with court costs, retrieving your vehicle, keeping your license to drive, maintaining your job and dealing with the expenses of increased auto insurance all make for a very unpleasant experience,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas.
Troopers say the majority of intoxicated drivers are pulled over for violation of traffic laws that include speeding, changing lanes without a signal, failure to maintain a single marked lane and sometimes, driving too slow.
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