The long Memorial Day weekend ahead is sure to bring car accident misery to Texas roads. But it’s also sure to bring more enforcement of our roadway laws. That’s because Texas Department of Public Safety officers will be out in force. While you play, they will work.

Last year, DPS officers issued more than 8,500 speeding tickets on Memorial Day weekend. They also wrote out 1,937 tickets for failing to wear seat belts and 521 for failing to provide proper child restraints. They also arrested 622 people for drunk driving.

Those kinds of violations again will be targeted for this long weekend, the DPS promises.

At least seat belt violations are improving — slightly. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 84 per cent of drivers wore seat belts last year, compared to 83 per cent the year before. You’ve probably seen highway signs proclaiming “Click It Or Ticket,” which is part of a nationwide program to spur more seat belt use.

Sadly, as seat belt use rises, so does distracted driving that causes texting accidents and cell phone crashes — especially among teens. Allstate Insurance recently surveyed the teen driving landscape and found it littered with dangers. It seems 82 per cent of teens use cell phones while driving, and 49 per cent text while driving — up from 31 per cent of teens texting while driving a year ago.

Teens may as well say, “We have met the enemy, and it is us.” Allstate says more than 75 per cent of teens admit they feel unsafe when riding with another teen driver. Teen texting accidents are a big reason why.

And why not? Over 60 percent of teen passenger deaths happen in vehicles driven by another teen. Teens, your best friend may be your worst enemy when it comes to traffic safety.

But all of us need to buckle up, pay attention, slow down and drive as safely as possible over this holiday weekend. Whether in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio or elsewhere, Texas car crash accidents know no demographic limits and can happen to anyone.

So face front and make sure they don’t happen to you. And when you see those DPS officers on the road, smile and give them a wave. While we honor America’s fallen troops on a national holiday, DPS troopers will be doing extremely important work of their own.

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