Texas Impaired Driving Task Force

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

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What is Impaired Driving?

According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), many substances can impair driving, including alcohol, some over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and illicit drugs. Alcohol-impaired driving is a leading cause of traffic crashes across the country. In Texas, and in most states, a driver is considered to be impaired when their blood alcohol concentration is above a 0.08 grams per deciliter. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every day, approximately 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes (that is one person every 39 minutes). With personal accountability and community responsibility, these deaths can be avoided.

Several substances impair a driver’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. This includes alcohol, legal or illicit drugs, and over the counter or prescription medications. Additionally, combining substances can have an multiple effects that can produce dangerous outcomes. The National Institute of Drug Abuse states that while it is difficult to measure the number of crashes caused by drug-impaired driving, estimates show that almost 44 percent of drivers in fatal car crashes tested positive for drugs.

Driving under the influence of any substance is illegal in all 50 states. It is also a completely preventable crime. We all play a part in reducing the harms associated with impaired driving. Calling on a designated, sober driver, is step one in all situations when substances are consumed. Stopping all persons from getting behind the wheel when they have been consuming substances is imperative. Creating norms around safe driving behaviors will foster a community in which we all arrive home safely.

Texas Impaired Driving Task Force

The Texas Impaired Driving Task Force is a partnership of impaired driving safety stakeholders from across the state who are committed to eliminating deaths and injuries caused by impaired driving. The task force is sponsored and supported through a Texas Department of Transportation Behavioral Traffic Safety Grant that is administrated by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

The task force meets quarterly to discuss effective countermeasures and emerging impaired driving concerns and issues. The members are responsible for updating the annual Texas Impaired Driving Plan, which addresses NHTSA priority recommendations, to improve the impaired driving program, through an assessment that is conducted every five years. Additionally, task force members provide recommendations and input for planning the Annual Texas Impaired Driving Forum. 

Members of the task force include representatives from law enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, prevention, advocacy, media development/communications, traffic safety education, treatment, research, training, alcohol service, driver licensing, employers, administrative sanctioning, and public health/medical. The members represent different aspects of the impaired driving problem while representing the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.

Find out more about our members on the Member Programs page of the website.

What We’re Doing

PLANNING

The annual Texas Impaired Driving Plan is updated each year to address NHTSA priority recommendations made during the Impaired Driving Assessment, which is performed approximately every 5 years. The NHTSA assessment is conducted to provide State highway safety department management with a review of the impaired driving program, noting strengths, accomplishments, and areas where improvements can be made. In the years between assessments, the task force addresses these recommendations, and provides action step updates through the Impaired Driving Plan.

EDUCATING

The Texas Impaired Driving Task Force is educating citizens, communities, and other stakeholder groups through a variety of educational outreach opportunities. The most notable of these is the annual Texas Impaired Driving Forum. Task force members provide input on speakers and connects with national subject matter experts to present at the event. The intent of the forum is to educate the audience on the latest research and countermeasures in the field of impaired driving harm reduction.

Additionally, throughout the year, the membership and the subcommittees produce and share resources, create toolkits, white papers, courses, and media outreach campaigns. Most of these tools and resources can be accessed through Resource tab on this website.

ENCOURAGING

Collectively the task force membership seeks ways to assist in promoting the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) program and encouraging officers to become certified as drug recognition experts. The state’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor works together with the DEC program manager to conduct trainings and encourage jurisdictions to increase their capabilities for drug-impaired driving detection.   

COLLABORATING

Groups like the Texas Impaired Driving Task Force and statewide coalitions are creating partnerships to attack the impaired driving problem from many different angles. Partnering efforts include inviting guests to task force or subcommittee meetings to share information. The result of these collaborations creates strong, evidence-based solutions that maximize impact while minimizing the harms associated with impaired driving. The more we share our collective knowledge and resources the more cohesive and effective our efforts will be.

Task Force Structure

MEMBERS: The task force is comprised of representatives from agencies, offices, and organizations in the public and private sectors of state leadership, each of whom possesses a demonstrated interest in the elimination of impaired driving.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: The Executive Committee (EC) Members provide updates at quarterly meetings, contribute to newsletters, are responsible for development of the annual Impaired Driving Plan, and convene subcommittees as necessary. In this leadership role, EC Members provide strategic direction and input from their individual stakeholder groups.

Executive Committee Members (FY 2025)

  • Impaired Driving Data – Jim Markham, TxDOT Crash Data & Analysis Section
  • Education / Prevention – Emma Dugas, Mothers Against Drunk Driving
  • Enforcement Training & Detection – Carlos Champion, Texas DRE Program
  • Retailer Enforcement – David Doggett, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
  • Forensic Testing – Trevis Beckworth, Texas DPS Crime Laboratory
  • Prosecution – Clay Abbott, Texas District & County Attorneys’ Association
  • Judicial / Bond – Judge Laura Weiser, Texas Center for the Judiciary

SUBCOMMITTEES

Texas Impaired Driving Task Force subcommittees meet periodically during the year to discuss current projects funded by TxDOT, as well as the strengths and gaps related to deterrence (statutes, enforcement, prosecution, etc.), judicial issues, prevention (including media and educational initiatives), and systematic challenges related to data collection and analysis. Subcommittees members discuss different aspects of impaired driving and develop effective solutions that strike at the root of the problem. The subcommittees report progress and findings at quarterly meetings.

Current Subcommittees (FY 2025):

  • Cannabis & Alcohol Subcommittee
  • Legislative Subcommittee (Biennial)
  • Prevention & Education Subcommittee
  • Research Subcommittee