Logo by TxDOT
Officials are urging caution for drivers this Labor Day weekend, noting that Amarillo ranks second in Texas for alcohol-impaired crashes.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Amarillo ranks second in Texas among cities based on the most fatality and serious injury-related crashes, per 10,000 population over a three-year period. TxDOT says in 2020 alone, there were 414 DWI-alcohol related crashes in the Amarillo District, resulting in 17 fatalities and 46 serious injuries. 225 of those crashes were recorded in the city of Amarillo alone.
This Labor Day weekend, authorities are urging drivers to use extra caution, especially if they have been drinking during the holiday. Officials say if you have been drinking or if you plan to drink this weekend, consider designating a sober driver beforehand, contact a cab or ride-sharing service for a ride, use mass transit, or spend the night.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities in our District and across the state of Texas to zero,” TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist LaViza Matthews said in a statement. “That’s why it’s important everyone knows where Amarillo ranks, especially when it comes to alcohol-impaired driving – and coming in second is not good. It’s a list no one wants to be on and that’s why we ask motorists to do their part and make safe decisions every time they get behind the wheel of a car. Sometimes the best decision is to not drive at all.”
For more information regarding TxDOT’s recommendations for safe driving, visit txdot.gov.