Impaired driving continues to be a significant problem in Texas, especially among young drivers. In a survey of Texas youth, 8% of high school seniors said that they have driven after drinking at least once in the past year. Among Texas college students, 18% reported that they had driven after drinking in the past thirty days, and 5% said that they drive after binge drinking at least once a month.

Additionally, Texas consistently ranks in the top ten states with the highest number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. In 2017, 39% of all fatal crashes in Texas were attributable to alcohol impairment. Overall, there is a disproportionate number of impaired driving fatalities caused by individuals under age 25 – more than a quarter of all alcohol-related fatal crashes involve a driver in this age group. These statistics alone are alarming, and we must also remember these numbers represent many lives that are changed in an instant. From individuals to family members, impaired driving affects thousands of Texans every day.