By George Slaughter
The Drive Safe Texas roadshow made an appearance Saturday at the Buc-ee’s in Katy – George Slaughter photo
The Texas Department of Transportation is sponsoring a campaign that reminds drivers to buckle up, watch for construction zones, and watch how fast they’re going.
Amadeo Garcia, a lead ambassador for the Drive Safe Texas campaign, said all the information is meant to remind drivers to drive safely.
The Drive Safe Texas roadshow booth was situated in the parking lot at Buc-ee’s, 27700 Katy Freeway. Visitors to the booth watched videos, took a five-question safety quiz, and played a driving safety-focused version of Jeopardy. Safety information was also distributed in orange swag bags.
There is much to consider. For example, most alcohol-related traffic deaths in Texas happen between 2 and 3 a.m. on Sunday mornings, according to the department. Most than half of crashes happen in rural areas of the state.
Drowsy driving is another thing that drivers must avoid. According to the department, most drowsy driving collisions occur between midnight and 6 a.m. The department urges drivers that, if they must drive during those hours, to take a break every two hours or 100 miles.
Speeding and driver inattention in work zones are factors for the high-number of rear-end collisions in work zones. Speeding is the top cause of traffic crashes in Texas.
Garcia said he and his colleagues have been visiting Buc-ee’s stores around Texas to call attention to driving safety issues. Already, the campaign has made stops in Fort Worth, Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and Laredo, though there is no Buc-ee’s there. He said tomorrow the campaign would visit the Buc-ee’s in Baytown.
Garcia said the campaign has been going on for five years.
Drivers are also reminded to stay off their cell phones when driving. Garcia said the Texas Legislature passed a law this spring that makes it illegal to use cell phones when driving. How local law enforcement agencies will enforce this new law remains to be worked out. Garcia said in Austin, motorcycle officers are situated in places where they are looking to see if drivers are using their cell phones.
For more information, and to see videos promoting the campaign, visit http://www.drivesafetexas.org.