The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging Texans to always celebrate responsibly and to make safe driving habits a priority during the heavily traveled Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“As Texans travel to be with family and friends this Thanksgiving season, we urge all drivers to use extra caution on roadways and always drive sober,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “The increased traffic and potential for inclement weather and impaired driving can make holiday travel especially challenging, and DPS troopers will be working nonstop to keep the roads safe for everyone.”

DPS troopers will be patrolling Texas roadways throughout the holiday weekend looking for drunk drivers, speeders, seat belt violators and other drivers who are endangering themselves and others.

During the Thanksgiving weekend in 2014, DPS troopers arrested 242 individuals for driving while intoxicated, issued 5,223 speeding citations, 682 citations for no insurance and 599 seat belt/child safety seat citations. DPS patrols also resulted in 135 fugitive arrests and 97 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.
• Slow down – especially in bad weather, construction areas and heavy traffic.
• Eliminate distractions, including the use of mobile devices.
• Buckle up everyone in the vehicle – it’s the law.
• 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 – get plenty of rest before trips or take breaks as needed.
• Drive defensively, as holiday travel may present additional challenges.
• Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained before your trip begins.