“Drink. Drive. Go to jail” has been a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) slogan since 2003.
 
   
TxDOT
Labor Day 2007 “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.”
 
TxDOT is reminding Texans: if you drink and drive during the upcoming Labor Day holiday, you’re going to jail. Between August 17th and September 3rd, thousands of law enforcement officers will be making an extra effort to spot – and stop – drunk drivers.
 
As Texans get ready to enjoy the last holiday of the summer season, TxDOT expects a significant spike in the number of motorists on Texas roads and highways during the upcoming Labor Day weekend. With an increase in overall traffic comes an increase in alcohol-related crashes, injuries and fatalities.
 
TxDOT is joining the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and local law enforcement organizations statewide to get drunk drivers off the road.
   
Dallas Morning News
HAVE A BLAST, NOT A BUST
Open-container ban, police patrols aim to strike safe, fun balance on S. Padre
Author: David McLemore San Antonio Bureau
Publish Date: March 19, 2001
   
By noon, the beach is awash with thousands of young, tanned bodies coiled along the white beaches. The air is thick with the aroma of coconut-scented suntan lotion.
 
Out over the water, a small plane buzzes low above the waves, trailing a long banner extolling the virtues of a premium brand of tequila. Not far behind, another plane loops by. Its banner spells out another reality of Spring Break 2001: “Drink. Drive. Go to jail.” 
 
High Beam
Texas Announces Largest July 4th Holiday Crackdown; Stepped Up Law Enforcement Aimed at Drunk Drivers.
From: PR Newswire
Date: June 23, 2003
 
AUSTIN, Texas—AUSTIN, Texas, June 23 /PRNewswire/—State officials have a stern warning for motorists whose 4th of July holiday plans include alcohol: Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.
 
Texas troopers and local patrol officers statewide will step up enforcement of the DWI laws between June 27 and July 13. Thousands of officers will be out in force during the 17-day period which coincides with the long Independence Day holiday weekend.
   
News 8 Austin
Warning from troopers: Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.
Updated: 7/1/2003 10:25 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff
 
State officials have a stern warning for Fourth of July drivers: Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is heading an effort to reduce alcohol-related crashes this summer.
 
Texas troopers and local patrol officers statewide will step up efforts between June 27 and July 13.
 
“Our goal is to educate, to prevent. We will see people who choose, drinking and driving is a choice, and it’s also a crime,” Department of Public Safety Chief Randall Elliston said.
 
The Texas Department of Transportation has been airing television and radio announcements with the “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” message.
 
The ads target men ages 21-34, who are at highest risk for drunken driving and will run during popular sports and reality TV shows.
 
Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related deaths. Almost 1,200 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in Texas in 2000.
 
Across Texas, Dallas police announced they will join more than 10,000 agencies across the nation in beefing up enforcement of drunken driving laws. The department will add 12 patrol officers to its DWI squad from July 2-6.
 
Houston will add a dozen officers to its DWI task force for the next two weeks, and San Antonio police said they are also adding officers.
 
KTRE-TV (Lufkin/Nacogdoches, TX)
7/2/03 - Lufkin
Drink, Drive, Go To Jail Starts This Weekend
by Alex Carias
 
This weekend will be one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer. For that reason, several agencies in Angelina County are joining forces to make sure local roadways are safe. “Drink, Drive, Go To Jail” is an awareness campaign being enforced this weekend by law enforcement agencies including the Lufkin and Diboll police departments and the Angelina County sheriff’s office.
 
Those participating say the campaign is to make sure people make the right decisions before they get behind the wheel this weekend. The State of Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related fatalities. DPS reports more than 1100 Texans were killed in drunk driving crashes in 2000.