As Texas roadways become increasingly dangerous with high-speed incidents, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is seeking to clamp down on the pressing issue: speeding kills. TxDOT reports that last year, out of more than 160,000 traffic crashes involved in Texas, speed was a factor in a staggering number, and 1,456 fatalities were linked to these high-speed collisions.
Lanisa Dehn's story serves as a somber reminder of the human cost tied to speeding. After her mother was struck and killed by a driver going double the speed limit, Dehn’s loss exemplifies the irreversible harm that a moment's rush can inflict. “If that driver would’ve obeyed the law, my mother might still be here today,” Dehn said in a statement obtained by TxDOT. Her plea to others is poignant: slow down and consider the lives at stake.
With the launch of the Be Safe. Drive Smart. campaign, TxDOT, in partnership with law enforcement, is actively highlighting the perils of excessive speed. As noted by Marc Williams, TxDOT Executive Director, the cost of speeding extends far beyond a ticket. The upcoming Operation Slowdown, starting July 19 and extending through August 4, aims to ensure that motorists stick to the speed limits. Pitched alongside sober warnings, the campaign offers practical advice for safe driving: consider road conditions, allow for more stopping distance in heavy traffic or bad weather, and heed road signs signaling reduced limits ahead.
Community outreach is a core strategy in broadening the initiative's impact. TxDOT is disseminating the Be Safe. Drive Smart. message through various mediums ranging from TV and radio to billboards and gas pumps. Additionally, interactive safety exhibits at select Buc-ee's locations are set to engage commuters along major travel routes. This effort ties into #EndTheStreakTX, a social media-driven push to end a gruesome run—since Nov. 7, 2000, not a single day has passed without a death on Texas roads.
For inquiries and additional information, TxDOT's Media Relations can be contacted at [email protected] or via phone at 512-463-8700.
