Employees Studies
AUSTIN – The Texas Division of Public Security (DPS) is encouraging everybody to finish 2021 safely as they head out on the highway for the vacations. The Texas Freeway Patrol will conduct its annual Christmas and New 12 months’s vacation site visitors enforcement campaigns starting Dec. 23, searching for people who find themselves dashing, not sporting their seat belts, driving whereas intoxicated or committing different site visitors violations.
“It’s at all times good to have a good time the vacations with family and friends, however please hold the well-being of different vacationers on the forefront of your thoughts as you head out,” stated DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Troopers will likely be defending the general public on the roads, however we rely on different drivers to do their half, as properly, so everybody can have a secure and joyful vacation.”
The Freeway Patrol will improve enforcement as a part of two initiatives: The nationwide Operation CARE (Crash Consciousness and Discount Effort), which runs from Dec. 23 by Jan. 2, in addition to Operation Vacation, which runs concurrently from Dec. 24 by Dec. 26.
Throughout DPS’ 2020 Christmas and New 12 months’s enforcement efforts, there have been 116,810 citations and warnings issued. This included 14,499 dashing citations; 1,636 seat belt and little one seat violations; 2,625 citations for driving with out insurance coverage; and 820 citations and warnings for Transfer Over, Sluggish Down violations. As well as, final yr’s enforcement efforts resulted in 1,185 felony arrests, 615 DWI arrests and 355 fugitives arrested.
DPS provides the next ideas for making the vacation season a secure one:
- Don’t drink and drive. Make alternate plans in case you are consuming alcohol.
- Transfer Over or Sluggish Down for police, hearth, EMS, Texas Division of Transportation (TxDOT) autos and tow vehicles stopped on the facet of the highway with emergency lights activated. Present the identical courtesy to different drivers who’re stopped on the facet of the highway. This yr alone, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 14, DPS issued 12,060 warnings and citations for Transfer Over, Sluggish Down violations.
- Buckle up everybody within the car, it’s the legislation.
- Decelerate, particularly in unhealthy climate, heavy site visitors, unfamiliar areas or development zones.
- Eradicate distractions whereas driving, together with using cell units. Texas legislation prohibits using transportable wi-fi units to learn, write or ship an electronic mail except the car is stopped. In case you’re utilizing a navigation gadget or app, have a passenger handle it, so you possibly can hold your eyes on the highway.
- Drive defensively, as vacation journey can current extra challenges.
- Don’t drive fatigued — permit loads of time to achieve your vacation spot.
- On multi-lane roads, use the left lane for passing solely. Not solely is it courteous driving and avoids impeding site visitors, Texas legislation requires slower site visitors to maintain to the best and use the left lane for passing solely (when posted).
- In case you can Steer It, Clear It: If you’re concerned in a non-injury crash and your car will be moved, clear the site visitors lanes to attenuate site visitors influence. Leaving autos in a site visitors lane will increase site visitors congestion and leaves these concerned with an elevated danger of hurt or a secondary wreck. On some highways, in case you don’t transfer your car when it’s secure to take action, it’s unlawful.
- Examine your car to verify it’s correctly maintained and at all times guarantee your cargo is safe.
- Hold the Texas Roadside Help quantity saved in your telephone. Dial 1-800-525-5555 for any kind of roadside help. The quantity may also be discovered on the again of a Texas Driver License.
- Report highway hazards or something suspicious to the closest legislation enforcement company.
- Monitor climate and highway circumstances wherever you’re touring. For highway circumstances and closures in Texas, go to Drive Texas.
