87R18672 BK-D
By: Darby H.R. No. 672
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Each year, drunk driving-related vehicle crashes
claim the lives of more than 10,000 Americans; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, over 1,300 drunk driving fatalities were
reported in the state of Texas, a rate higher than the national
average; from 2003 to 2012, more than 13,000 people lost their lives
on Texas roads as a result of alcohol-involved traffic accidents;
and
WHEREAS, Although drunk driving continues to jeopardize the
safety of our roadways, recent surveys and statistics have
indicated several positive trends; since 1982, drunk driving
fatalities in the United States have decreased by 52 percent, and in
Texas, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities among people under the
age of 21 have dropped by 15 percent over the last 10 years;
underage drinking in Texas has also declined by a rate of 36 percent
since 2008, with 17 percent of individuals between the ages of 12
and 20 reporting alcohol use in the past month; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas has worked with groups like
Responsibility.org to discourage impaired driving by increasing
the use of DWI courts, law enforcement training, No Refusal
campaigns, ignition interlock devices, and other lifesaving
countermeasures; research has also shown that parents can help
prevent future underage drinking and alcohol abuse by having
ongoing conversations about alcohol with their children, and this
month, state attorneys general and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission are launching campaigns aimed at preventing and curbing
underage drinking; and
WHEREAS, For many years, the month of April has been
dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of alcohol abuse,
and by joining in the observance of Alcohol Responsibility Month,
Texans can do their part to prevent the tragic consequences
associated with drunk driving and underage drinking; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 2021 as Alcohol Responsibility
Month and encourage all Texans to make safe and responsible
choices.