Students reminded to drink responsibly during spring break.

The start of Spring break for students at different Texas Universities can mean an increase in drunk driving. The State of Texas wants to remind students to drink responsibly by creating DWI and DUI awareness programs. Texas State University and the San Marcos police have created an alcohol awarness program. The program titled "Know your Dreams, Know your Limits, Know the Consequences" uses a simulated DWI car crash scene in the center of Texas State University. Students and Safety Officials recreate a fatal DWI accident. Not only does the program include a wrecked car it also utilizes a Tow truck and Pennington Funeral home is "called" out to the scene of the would be accident. The Fire Department and EMS officials treat the actors as though they had been in an actual accident. The student who is acting as the fatality is extracted from the car using the jaws of life. Afterwards a hearse takes away the "deceased" and the would be parents are called out to the scene. This is the fourth year Texas State University police have staged the the mock accident. Texas police have said that in 2004 1,600 people died in alcohol-related accidents. "Hopefully [students] will take a sense of importance and how it can change their life and change their families' life if they're involved. Unfortunately, if they would be killed that'd be devastating, but if they were the driver of a DWI vehicle it's a tremendous hardship - close to $20,000 if you're arrested by the time you go through all the legal fees," University police chief Ralph Meyer said.
Full story of the 4th Annual Texas Spring Break DWI Mock Accident can be found at News 8 Austin.