TEXAS — As Texans hit the road this summer, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reminding drivers that impairment isn’t limited to alcohol.
The agency has launched its new “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.
For Sue Beatty, the message is deeply personal. Her 19-year-old daughter, Carly Beatty, was killed by an impaired driver in 2019. Beatty said the driver who struck her daughter had alcohol, THC, cocaine and Xanax in his system.
“Every impaired driving crash starts with a choice,” Beatty said. “People don’t understand the risk they’re taking that could end someone’s life.”
Beatty said the conversation has shifted beyond drunk driving.
“It has gone from drunk driving to impaired driving because there are so many substances that impair your driving,” she said.
According to TxDOT, more than 1,200 people were killed in impaired driving crashes on Texas roads last year.
As part of the campaign, law enforcement officers have continued training to recognize drivers impaired by drugs, including THC. Tony De La Cerda, a drug recognition expert with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officers look for several signs during a traffic stop.
“We’re looking for things like the smell of burnt marijuana, we’re looking at their pupils, whether they look dilated, and we’re looking at the way they speak to us,” De La Cerda said.
He said THC can slow reaction time, impair judgment and affect a person’s ability to drive safely, even if they do not appear intoxicated.
With summer travel increasing, officials say the safest choice is simple: if you’re impaired by any substance, don’t get behind the wheel.
“Carly’s death has changed my life forever,” Beatty said. “There are no words to explain what it is to lose a child. That’s why I speak out about this.”