The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is encouraging Thanksgiving travelers to practice safe driving habits during the long holiday weekend to help keep Texas roadways safer for everyone.

“Holiday travel can be especially challenging because of congested roadways, added distractions and fatigued or drunk driving – all of which can lead to tragedy,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “DPS will be working hard to keep our roads safe during the Thanksgiving holiday, and we’re also counting on everyone traveling throughout the state to do their part by driving responsibly.”

DPS troopers will be patrolling Texas roadways throughout the holiday weekend to promote safety and identify dangerous drivers.

During the Thanksgiving weekend in 2012, DPS troopers arrested 386 individuals for driving while intoxicated, issued more than 7,500 speeding citations, 875 citations for no insurance and more than 770 seat belt/child safety seat citations. DPS patrols also resulted in 258 fugitive arrests and 211 felony arrests during the same time period.

DPS offers the following tips for safe travel during the Thanksgiving holiday:

• Don’t drink and drive. Designate a driver or take a cab.
• Eliminate distractions, including the use of mobile devices.
• Buckle up everyone in the vehicle – it’s the law.
• Slow down – especially in bad weather, construction areas and heavy traffic.
• Slow down or move over for police, fire, EMS and Texas Department of Transportation vehicles and tow trucks that are stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated – it’s the law.
• Don’t drive fatigued.
• Drive defensively, as holiday travel may present additional challenges.
• Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained before your trip begins.