The Texas Department of Transportation launched a new campaign in its ongoing effort to battle the runaway drunk driving problem in Texas.

The campaign is called The Faces of Drunk Driving and the intent of the campaign is to show the aftermath on Texas families of a drunk driving crash.

It is no secret that Texas has an out-of-control drunk driving accident problem. Each year at least 1000 people die from accidents were alcohols involved. Texas leads the nation in this deadly statistic.

By showing the victims of drunk driving and particularly showing how many of their lives have been shattered, it appears the tactic is to shock families into the reality of drunk driving.

By featuring victims and outlining the mistakes of the driver and sometimes even themselves, the choices appear clear to those touched by the campaign. One such victim has been identified as you Sean Carter who reportedly was a passenger in a drunk driving accident case. Sean is currently confined to a wheelchair because of the decision he made in getting into a vehicle with a drunk driver.

Many passengers who have been drinking allow a drinking driver to drive them into a tragedy. Another initiative started recently in several neighboring states is the “don’t ride drunk”.

By capitalizing on the faces of drunk driving, the realities of a decision to drive drunk or to ride with a drunk driver may leave a lasting impression particularly on young people.

There are two different approaches to combating the Texas drunk driving accident problem. The first is to educate the public and the Faces of Drunk Driving campaign is a great tool for that. The next step is to step up enforcement by providing more resources to areas such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Waco, Beaumont and the rest the state of Texas.

Only by getting serious about losing our status as the drunk driving accident capital of the world can we hope to prevail or make a dent in the statistics.

Greg Baumgartner is a drunk driving accident attorney in Texas and the founder of the Baumgartner Firm Law Firm, which is dedicated to helping DWI accident victims seek civil justice after a car accident. To speak with a DWI accident attorney call the Baumgartner Firm.