AUSTIN, Texas —
College students across Texas are joining an effort to end drunk driving incidents.
Students are partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) "Drive Sober. No Regrets" spring break drunk driving prevention campaign. The message of the campaign is to remind everyone, including college students celebrating spring break, to find a sober ride home.
TxDOT stated that in the Austin area, there were more than 2,000 DUI crashes in 2021. Of the 2,000 crashes, 86 were fatal and more than 200 resulted in serious injury.
This campaign is aimed at bringing those numbers down.
TxDOT partnered with the college campus-based peer-to-peer program "U in the Driver Seat." The project aims to help students urge their peers to find a sober ride when they celebrate the week-long break.
"I think it's important to talk about drunk driving around this time of year to students because spring break tends to be the time where all of the chaos happens every year," said Esmeralda Trevino, a UT student and member of "U in the Driver Seat." "The following weeks after spring break, it's just all over the news and all over social media, all of the horrific events that are happening. So just remember to stay vigilant and take a sober ride."
The "U In The Driver Seat” program was created at Texas A&M University and spread to other colleges and universities across the State.
"Car crashes can genuinely change someone's life. I think it's important for students like myself to get involved with organizations like you in the driver's seat because this it really is the number one cause of death for individuals our age," Trevino said.
When it comes to finding an alternative ride, the options include rideshare services like Uber or Lyft, getting a taxi, designating a sober driver or staying overnight where you are if it's safe.
Visit the program's website to learn more about its mission statement and how it is helping other college students stay safe.