Victims of Drunk Driving Lend Their Faces, Voices in Effort to Spare Others from Tragic, Life-Changing Consequences
TxDOT’s ‘Plan While You Can’ campaign urges drivers to plan for a
sober ride home
AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A prisoner in his own body. This is how Sean Carter describes his life
following his fateful decision 11 years ago to get into a vehicle driven
by a drunk driver. When the driver slammed into a tree, then-22-year-old
Sean was left severely injured and unable to walk or talk.
“Don’t drink and drive,” Sean said, via the aid of an iPad. “And please,
don’t make my mistake of riding with someone who has been drinking. If I
knew then that my decision would affect the rest of my life, you can bet
I would not have gotten in that car.”
Today, Sean continues his life’s mission of warning others about the
consequences of drinking and driving by sharing his story through the
Texas Department of Transportation’s “Plan While You Can” campaign. The
campaign is intended to save lives and decrease alcohol-related crashes
all year long, but with a particular emphasis during holidays such as
the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. During the 2015 Fourth of July
weekend,* there were 355 alcohol-related crashes in Texas, resulting in
19 fatalities and 32 serious injuries.
“Drinking and driving is stupid!” said Texas Transportation Commissioner
Jeff Moseley. “The concept is simple: Save your own life and the lives
of others by planning for a sober ride.”
The “Plan While You Can” campaign – which coincides with an increase in
drunk driving enforcement along with local no-refusal efforts – includes
a multi-city tour that stops at shopping malls in Austin, Fort Worth,
Houston, Lubbock and Waco. Shoppers are invited to test their driving
skills during a two-minute interactive game that simulates
sober-to-impaired driving conditions, including difficulty in steering,
delayed reactions and blurred vision. In addition, two large video
monitors will allow mall shoppers to watch 30-second videos from the Faces
of Drunk Driving website featuring Sean’s story as well as other
stories from drunk driving crash victims in Texas.
Drivers under the influence of alcohol can face up to $17,000 in fines
and legal fees, the loss of a job and other costs. As always, TxDOT
strongly encourages everyone to plan for a sober ride before going out.
Visit SoberRides.org
to find alternatives to drinking and driving, such as:
- Calling a taxi or using a transportation app on your smartphone.
- Using mass transit.
- Asking a sober friend or family member for a ride home.
- Spending the night.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@txdot.gov
or (512) 463-8700.
* Thursday, July 2, 2015 from 6 p.m. to Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 11:59
p.m. as determined by NHTSA
The information contained in this report represents reportable data
collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). This
information was received and processed by the department as of May 23,
2016.
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining
80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail, and public
transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership,
we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that
enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at txdot.gov.
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Contacts
TxDOT
David Glessner, 512-463-8700
MediaRelations@txdot.gov
