TxDOT wants to avoid a repeat of last year's spring break, when drunk driving crashes increased.
The state agency is launching an awareness campaign targeting the highest risk population: college students.
As we move through the month of March, spring breakers will hit restaurants, beaches, lakes, and other party spots.
TxDOT is spreading a message for its anti-drunk driving campaign.
"Saw those red and blue lights. I knew I was intoxicated. I knew I was going to jail. In my head, I was literally saying, ‘Why did I do this?’" a man said in TxDOT’s campaign.
The campaign is called "Drive Sober. No Regrets."
"We’re having young people talking to other young people," TxDOT spokesman Val Lopez explained.
Lopez said the initiative includes college students who made poor choices to drink and drive.
"We want to address this largely to young people. Young people tend to have riskier behavior and tend to binge drink more. Yes, they engage in those high-risk behaviors, so we feel we can target them and have a bigger reduction," Lopez added.
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Around spring break in 2022, drunk driving crashes in Texas were up 25%, resulting in 31 people killed.
"Right after the DWI, I did 30 days in jail. I had to pay $5,000 for a lawyer," a woman said as part of the campaign.
"Go to court, they sentenced me to 10 days in jail, a year probation after that," another man said in the campaign. "You go from thinking, I’m this good guy, everything is working out for me, to all of a sudden, I’m a felon."
TxDOT calls the campaign straight talk and hard hitting.
"The campaign message is very simple and very direct. Drive sober and you will have no regrets," Lopez said.