HOUSTON – Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) teamed up with AAA Texas and the Houston Police Department Monday to remind drivers of the dangers of drunk and impaired driving.
The reminder comes as the NCAA basketball tournament prepares to hold the Final Four in Houston.
The group held a news conference and shared tips for drivers and hosts of watch parties to encourage safe habits and help avoid impaired driving during the final weekend of games being held in Houston. MADD President Tess Rowland, a survivor of a suspected drunk driving crash, was joined by HPD Chief Troy Finner and AAA spokesperson Joshua Zuber.
Watch Monday’s full news conference below:
“The latest TxDOT data indicates that 1,141 people were killed on Texas roadways by drunk drivers last year- a six percent increase from 2021,” a news release on the press conference stated.
“I can’t stress this enough, if you drink, do not drive,” Rowland said. “Do not be the reason that someone cannot return home to their loved ones because you made the choice to drive under the influence.”
“If you find yourself asking the question, ‘Am I okay to drive?’ then you have your answer and the answer is, ‘no,’” Rowland added.