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
>>One Texan is killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash every 21 minutes, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety<<
Lets see: 1440 minutes in a day
525600 minutes in a year
Divide by 21 minutes and you have 25028.571 killed or injured in Texas alone. Sounds like BS to me.
25K sounds about right. It's a big state with lots of out of state visitors to help with the numbers, too.
But, I always say I'll put up Texas' bad drivers up against anyone else's any day of the week. Even Southern Cali.
And bring 'em on, Miami, DC, I-95 in general....
I'm with ya on padding the stats.
I will most likely go to West Fest.
Although I won't be driving. Hell, I won't be walking by the end of the night.
killed or INJURED.
I think that's how they get that number.
How do they define injury. I watched a dude fall over a 2nd story balcony rail in College Station one night. He landed on the hood of some girls Beemer. A cop just happened to be driving by...came over and had to write the dude up. The guy broke his arm (compound fracture) and they called an EMS unit.
So he might be part of those stats....and the dude never drove. As a matter of fact, he walked to the party from across the street.
What happens if you're DUI and armed?
"You have to understand: only when you are intoxicated does burnt orange seem reasonable as a school color."
I refer to the color of tu as....'light rust'
real tu fight song-(as usual...sung to the tune of working on the railroad)
The tu horns are overrated,
They can't win a BCS.
Mack Brown can't win the Big 12,
His team's an undisciplined mess.
In Austin they like to talk the big hype,
Til a non rated team shows them up.
PR and Bullsh-t don't win championships,
So those horns should just shut up
You have to focus more when you aim.
...and be real careful to remember which is your drinking hand.
I like it! I also have my version of (t)exas Bites.
Lite rust is great. I'm going to use that.
Gig 'em!
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