In an effort to reduce drinking and driving this summer, TxDOT will be launching a statewide campaign this week to remind drivers to line up a Summer P.A.S.S. (Person Appointed to Stay Sober).

Here's the press release:

Whether hosting a backyard barbecue, attending an outdoor concert or enjoying a lazy day on the river, Texans are planning fun summer activities. Too often, however, many aren’t putting as much thought into planning for a sober driver if they have been drinking.

From 2008 to 2012, alcohol-related fatalities have increased by 10.3 percent in Texas during the summer months of June, July and August. In an effort to reduce drinking and driving in Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation is reminding Texans about the importance of having a sober ride home and encourages them to make a Summer P.A.S.S. (Person Appointed to Stay Sober) a must-have for their summer plans.

“Most Texans go to great lengths to plan their summer activities. We want them to make planning for a P.A.S.S. – Person Appointed to Stay Sober – part of their plans,” said Carol T. Rawson, P.E., TxDOT’s Traffic Operations Division Director. “This summer and every day, we’re reminding drivers to plan ahead for a sober ride home – don’t drink and drive.”

According to a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 40 percent of drivers who consumed alcohol felt it would be safe for them to have three or more drinks within a 2-hour period before driving, with a portion of that 40 percent believing they could have five or more drinks. The reality is quite different. In Texas, 38 percent of all alcohol-related fatal crashes and fatalities occur during the summer. In 2012, there were 6,576 alcohol-related traffic crashes in Texas, resulting in 2,486 serious injuries and 302 fatalities between June and August.

For information about finding a sober ride home, visit www.soberrides.org or contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@txdot.gov or (512) 463-8700.

Be safe out there, have dun and designate a driver!

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