AUSTIN, Texas (KTSM) – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is launching its “Drive Sober. No Regrets” campaign this week during spring break, to highlight the dangers of drinking and driving among college students all over the state.

Spring Break is a time for college students to relax and have fun. However, it can quickly turn into tragedy if someone chooses to get behind a wheel after drinking alcohol.

Drinking and driving can cause needless death and injury, but can also have financial, mental, legal and professional repercussions.

One person in Texas dies every 7 hours and 43 minutes in a DUI-alcohol (driving under the influence) related traffic crash, according to TxDOT.

In 2021, 1,134 people in Texas were killed and 2,565 seriously injured because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired. During spring break of 2021, Texas recorded 874 DUI or alcohol-related traffic crashes, resulting in 31 deaths and 107 serious injuries.

“The loss of life on our highways is tragic,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “It is all the more tragic to know that the vast majority of these lives lost could be prevented. Our message to students is this: Help keep yourself and others safe by finding a sober ride, taking a cab, using a rideshare or simply staying put. There are severe and deadly consequences to drunk driving, and we don’t want to see lives and futures destroyed.”

For this campaign, TxDOT is partnering with college campus-based U in the Driver Seat, a program led by students at Texas A&M University that focuses on saving lives by preventing traffic crashes.

Throughout March, the campaign will host events at key spring break locations where videos and testimonials from Texans will be showcased, either as offenders or survivors.

For more information about the campaign, click here.