San Diego DUI criminal defense attorney news

In the company of six elite U.S. Air Force paratroopers, Santa
Claus donned a parachute and jumped from a helicopter this week in a
high-flying effort to remind Texans not to drink and drive during the
upcoming holiday season. State and local safety advocates called on
the man of the hour to launch TxDOT's annual four-week drunk driving
prevention campaign.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is partnering with
Lackland Air Force Base and other active military installations to
encourage Texans to plan ahead and designate a sober driver when their
celebrations include alcohol. Military officers called attention to
their "Wingman" program, which asks airmen and other base personnel to
designate a sober driver before they drink alcohol during off-time.

"Our wish list includes a safe holiday season for everyone," said
Terry Pence, TxDOT's traffic safety director. "We're reminding drivers
to celebrate responsibly and let someone else drive if they've been
drinking. Our advice is simple: designate a sober driver in advance or
call a cab to get home safely."

Law enforcement throughout Texas also is participating in the push
to deter drunk driving. From December 21 until January 1, state and
local law enforcement agencies will be working overtime to enforce the
state's drunk driving laws. Penalties for a first-time DWI offense
include driver's license suspension for up to one year, a fine of up
to $2,000 and up to six months in jail.

This marks the tenth year of TxDOT's holiday public education
campaign, which uses festive television and radio commercials,
billboards along interstate highways and ads at gas stations and
convenience stores to deliver the responsible driving message. The
public education initiative extends through New Year's Day.

Texas leads the nation when it comes to the number of traffic
fatalities where the driver or motorcycle operator was legally drunk.
Last year 1,677 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Texas.