TxDot Officials Launch Drunk Driving Awareness Campaign

NORTH AUSTIN-PFLUGERVILLE, TX -- While the danger of drunk drivers over the holiday season is now past, state officials are warning of another possible round of threats with football season playoffs in full swing.

Monday, Texas Department of Transportation officials will be on hand in North Austin to launch their “Plan While You Can” awareness campaign to call attention to the dangers of football season impaired driving.

Officials will outline the campaign during an event at the Wingstop at 9616 N. Lamar Blvd. It’s scheduled from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Members of the public will be able to play the interactive dodgeball game that uses customized gaming technology to replicate the effects of alcohol on a person’s reflexes.

Virtual drinks are added to each gaming level as participants play, rendering avatars less able to effectively dodge incoming pretend snowballs.

The game’s purpose is a serious one, showing how even one drink can slow reaction times.
TxDot officials note the prevalence of drunk driving during the football playoff season. In Austin, there were 508 alcohol-related traffic crashes during the 2014 football season (Sept. 4, 2014 - Feb. 1, 2015).

Statewide during the same period, there were 10,676 alcohol-related traffic crashes resulting in 492 fatalities--a 7 percent increase from the previous year.

The “Plan While You Can” campaign to help illustrate the danger of drunk driving was last utilized by transportation over the holidays through Jan. 1, coinciding with an increase in DUI patrols and enforcement statewide.

Like playoff season, the holidays also are a time of increased drunk driving. During last year’s holiday season, there were 2,412 alcohol-related traffic crashes statewide from Dec. 1, 2014 to Jan. 1, 2015.

In their wake, such crashes left 190 serious injuries and 110 fatalities.

>> Photos courtesy of TxDot spokeswoman Kelly Reyna