TxDOT wraps up holiday drunk driving interactive prevention campaign

EL PASO, Tx (KVIA)--The Texas Department of Transportation held its final “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” holiday drunk driving prevention event of the season, highlighting the dangers of impaired driving through hands-on activities and personal testimonials.

Drunk driving remains a major issue in Texas, particularly during the holidays. In 2024, more than 2,000 crashes statewide were linked to alcohol impairment, resulting in 96 deaths and 201 serious injuries according to TxDOT.

This holiday season, TxDOT partnered with Walmart to host a vintage-style carnival dubbed the “DWI Not So Funhouse.” The interactive setup was designed to show how alcohol affect coordination, reaction time and decision-making.

One station featured a driving simulator paired with impairment goggles. Participants navigated traffic scenarios while experiencing delayed reactions and slowed thinking.

“When you’re using the simulator with the drunk driving goggles, it shows how your ability slows down,” Stephanie Carbajal- Atilano, a TxDOT representative said. “Your thought process slows, your reaction time slows, and you’re more likely to crash.”

An attendee said the challenge became clear once traffic increased.

“At the beginning it was fun because there weren’t cars,” the attendee said. “But once there were more cars, it became very difficult.”

Another station challenged participants to shoot basketballs while wearing impairment goggles.

“Without the goggles it was easy,” one participant said. “But with them on, everything was moving, so it was hard to even target the basket.”

The event also included a “Wheel of Misfortune,” where participants spun for consequences such as jail time or costly fines.

Additional stations, including cornhole and testimonial displays featuring firsthand accounts from families affected by drunk driving and from offenders who faced its consequences.

While the holiday campaign has ended, officials emphasized the message remains the same year-round, don’t drink and drive.