Memorial Sign Program for Victims of Impaired Driving

Please dont drive and drive memorialImpaired driving continues to be a serious problem in Texas that resulted in 975 traffic deaths in 2008.

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(s) of the victim(s), serves to commemorate loved ones 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 fatal 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 or victim's(s') name(s),
  • crash date and location,
  • applicant name and contact information,
  • name of one of the vehicle operators involved in the crash, and
  • a copy of the crash report attached to your application, if you wish to expedite processing.

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," or
  • "In Memory of,"
  • One line of text with the name(s) of the victim(s) or the family name of the victims, if they shared the same last name, and
  • Date of the crash.

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. The applicant will have 30 days, from the time contacted, to make arrangements to pick up the sign. After that time period, the sign will be recycled. The sign panel is aluminum and measures 42" by 48".

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.