|
 Impaired
driving continues to be a serious problem in Texas that resulted in 1,677
traffic deaths in 2006.
The Memorial Sign Program will give family or friends of victims of drunk
or drugged driving the opportunity to purchase a sign to be placed near the site
of a crash.
The Memorial Sign, bearing the name of the victim, will serve to commemorate
a loved one while raising awareness of this serious issue.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Memorial Sign:
- A police officer's crash report or another government document must
indicate that drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
- We may request a copy of the report if it does not exist in our files.
- The crash must have occurred on the state highway system.
An impaired driver is not eligible for a Memorial Sign.
State crash data is only available for the last ten years.
For crashes that happened more than 10 years ago, the applicant will need to
provide an official document that shows that the crash was a result of impaired
driving.
For more detailed information on eligibility and other aspects of the
program, please see the
program rules.
Application
A person may apply for a Memorial Sign for the victim of a drunk or drugged
driver by completing an
application with the following information:
- Victim’s name
- Crash date and location
- Applicant name and contact information
- Name of one of the vehicle operators involved in the crash.
Sign Location and Display
The department will install a Memorial Sign as close as practical to the
location of the crash. Final placement will be based on traffic safety and space availability.
Each Memorial Sign will have a blue background and a white legend displaying
the following text:
- "Please Don't Drink and Drive";
- "In Memory of";
- One line of text with the name of the victim or family name of the
victims
- Date of the crash.
A sign may contain only the name of the victim, or the family name if the
crash resulted in multiple deaths..
Sign Fee
The cost to the applicant for a Memorial Sign is $300, payable to TxDOT after
the application has been approved. The sign will be installed only after the fee
is paid. This fee defrays the cost of the personalized sign panel.
An installed sign will remain in place for a period of one year. At the end
of this time, it will be offered to the applicant.
To apply for a memorial sign, please complete the
application form. You may
return the form by fax to (512) 416-3214. You may also mail the
completed form to:
Texas Department of Transportation
Traffic Operations Division, Attn: John Thornton
125 E. 11th Street
Austin, Texas 78701-2483
Questions?
For additional information about the Memorial Sign Program, please
e-mail us
or contact John Thornton, Program Manager, at (512) 416-3152. |
