TxDOT Urges Drivers to "Plan While You Can" this Labor Day Weekend
By Office of Communication
Posted on August 28, 2019, August 28, 2019

TxDOT encouraging people to find alternatives to drinking and divingWith Labor Day weekend approaching, TxDOT is urging people to plan ahead before drinking with its "Plan While You Can" campaign. 

“The long weekend should be an opportunity to enjoy extra time with family and friends, rather than experience a senseless and preventable tragedy that ruins the lives of everyone involved because of drinking and driving,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “If you plan to drink alcohol this weekend, please plan ahead for a sober ride. It can save lives.”

According to TxDOT, there were 328 drunk driving crashes across Texas during Labor Day weekend 2018, leaving eight people dead and 25 seriously injured.

The agency recommends safer alternatives including:

  • Designating a sober driver or calling someone sober for a ride
  • Contacting a cab or rideshare service, including Arlington's VIA rideshare service
  • Using mass transit
  • Spending the night

While drivers under the influence of alcohol risk killing or seriously injuring themselves or others, they also face up to $17,000 in fines and fees, jail time and loss of their driver’s license.

In addition to the penalties for drunk driving, HB 2502, which takes effect Sept. 1, 2019, requires a judge to include a minimum of 120 days of confinement when granting community supervision for the offense of leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of a person.

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