Posted on 08/24/2004 7:41:27 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Texans can claim yet another dubious first: we drink and drive more than any other citizens in the country.
By extension, we also kill and injure more people doing so.
So says law enforcement officials as they roll out their annual Labor Day weekend drunken driving crackdown, which will involve more than 60,000 additional officers on the road, the money to pay their overtime, and an intense media campaign to discourage drinkers from getting behind the wheel.
"Drink, Drive, Go to Jail," is part of a nationwide campaign to lower the number of drunken-driving fatalities and injuries that occur during this holiday weekend.
One Texan is killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash every 21 minutes, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, and more than 1,000 die every year.
This holiday weekend, it's estimated that 545 people will die across the country from drunken-driving fatalities, said Michelle Price, executive director of the South Texas Injury Prevention and Research Center. That would be like a jumbo jet full of passengers crashing with no survivors.
From Aug. 27 through Sept. 12, DPS and police officers will be out in force, focused specifically on drunken drivers. Texas was one of 14 states that received extra funding because of the state's high numbers.
Texas has such a high number of drunken scofflaws in part because there are simply more people driving more miles than almost any other state.
But even California, where drivers log even more miles, has a lower rate of drunken drivers and deaths.
California began years ago cracking down on drunken drivers and found that hitting motorists in their pocketbooks helped. Texas seems to be following suit, cranking up fines.
A DWI conviction in Bexar County costs between $3,000 and $15,000, said DPS Trooper Travis Hall, and with the new point/surcharge system that went into effect in September 2003, that cost could go up another couple grand, depending on the conviction.
Texans also need to pay attention to the values that allow drinking and driving to happen, Price said.
"We drive too fast," she said, noting that speed combined with alcohol makes for a particularly deadly combination. "And we don't like giving up our liberties here in Texas. Ultimately, too many people just think they can get away with it."
Not if law enforcement has their way, though, especially over the Labor Day weekend.
"If we catch you," said Hall, "I guarantee, you're go to jail."
Drinking and driving is a personal choice, he reminds, and prevention — of going to jail, of killing someone, of dying — is truly simple.
"If you're going to drink," he said. "Just don't drive."
------------------thamilton@express-news.net
If you're going to drink and drive, whatever you do, don't go speeding down rural routes with a baseball bat and a pickup full of watermelons.
How many of these incidents occur during the UT v. A&M grudge match?
I lived in San Antonio for five years. It's a lovely town BUT I thought the typical Texan driver was psychotic. The worst were blond women in TransAms. The horror, the horror...
Depends on where the game is.
Depends on where the game is.
I don't know about that but here in Brazos County, more alcohol is consumed than just about anywhere in the world.
Until recently, the place the most alcohol per square foot was sold/consumed was in College Station.
The street with the most alcohol related citations given in Texas (and I think the U.S.) is Harvey Road in College Station.
The title for most alcohol sold at any Kroger's store goes to a store in College Station. (At least up until a few years ago. Might not be true anymore due to the large number of new stores in the same area.)
I remember when UT and TAMU were playing in Dallas. I was living in SA at the time, but the shenanigans made the news in SA. With a handle like 1L, are you a law student?
Females from 16-25 in any fast car are dangerous. As every instructor at my jobs says (and these are guys who travel across the state almost every week) "If you want to haul a**, get behind a college girl that is driving a SUV or sports car and prepare to go 90-100."
Gig 'em! That is one way to show Aggies pride.
"Texans can claim yet another dubious first: we drink and drive more than any other citizens in the country"
Just to keep people from jumping to conclusions, it says "citizens" so it's quite clear that illegal aliens are quite law-abiding at least with regard to DWI's in Texas.
;^)
Until recently, the place the most alcohol per square foot was sold/consumed was in College Station.
Since Bush became president, the media has been busy publishing all kinds of stories about Texas in any way that they lead the country in something negative. It's gotta be a hell of a coincidence.
The undergrad women here drive like crack-addicted kamikazes. They hit warp nine and randomly switch lanes with no rhyme or reason (or turn signal). There are times that I cross myself and say a prayer before getting on the road near campus.
San Antonio is not the typical Texas driver location.
People in San Antonio are their own special breed of hell on wheels. The are very bad drivers.
When I lived in New B, just 25 minutes north of the San Antonio area, I used to drive into San Antonio. A man puts his life in serious jep when he drives into SA.
While I was there I saw a report about how SA was ranked very high on the list of uninsured motorists. Not hard to figure out the reason for that one.
I am shocked! Can't these country boys brew/distill their own hooch instead of paying for "store bought" liquor?
man, sounds like you are near Lubbock.
I remember when Loop 1604 was named "The Death Loop."
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