As holiday festivities bring joy to many, they also bring an increase in drunk driving fatalities. In Houston, families like Yolanda Carson’s are teaming up with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to raise awareness and encourage alternatives to impaired driving, hoping to prevent the heartbreak they’ve endured.
After a sharp surge in alcohol-related traffic deaths during holiday season, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began a statewide campaign to fight drunk driving. Houston families like Yolanda Carson's, who experienced the devastation, support the endeavor.
Carson lost her daughter Jade Jiles in 2013 when a drunk driver hit her while she helped a friend find a dog. Jiles, 23, left a six-month-old son.
“She will never hug him. Carson stated that he will never see her smile or hold her hand. Her plea reflects the campaign's: avoid drunk driving and get home safely.
Texas has one in four drunk driver traffic deaths, rising to 28% over the holidays, according to TxDOT. The organization worked with Walmart to increase awareness by delivering interactive mobile exhibitions to stores where consumers buy alcohol for festivities.
The 2022 National Highway car Safety Administration study that Texas ranked third for alcohol-related car crashes emphasizes the importance of the issue.
Carson and others warn against drinking and driving. Just not worth it. Lost children are traumatic for parents.”
These measures by TxDOT aim to save lives and spare families from unnecessary holiday tragedies.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards is escalating its enforcement against Harris County Jail, requesting the Texas Attorney General’s intervention. With persistent overcrowding, understaffing, and inmate deaths, the jail remains out of compliance, raising concerns about safety and oversight.
Thousands of Houston ISD students skipped school as parents and students protested against Superintendent Mike Miles and the state-appointed board of managers. The protest, organized by Community Voices for Public Education, opposed district reforms that critics say hurt students and teachers.
According to the CDC, Texas is experiencing a significant rise in flu cases, with hospitals reporting increased admissions and flu test positivity rates nearing 30%. Experts warn that lower vaccination rates could worsen the severity of this year’s flu season.