DPS Steps Up Super Bowl Weekend Enforcement; Jim Wells Drivers Urged

The Texas Department of Public Safety stepped up enforcement on state roadways for Super Bowl Sunday, increasing trooper patrols from 12:01 a.m. until midnight on Feb. 8 as part of the nationwide CARE initiative to curb impaired driving, speeding and other dangerous behaviors. The move aims to keep people traveling to and from watch parties safer and to reduce preventable crashes.

“DPS is rooting for a great game, and safe roadways across Texas this Sunday. With increased enforcement and a strong Trooper presence statewide, our focus is on preventing impaired driving, speeding and other dangerous behaviors so everyone can enjoy the game and then make it home safely,” said Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee. The CARE program is short for Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort and is being implemented across the state by Highway Patrol troopers.

DPS officials said troopers would be looking for drivers who violate the law, including those who are speeding, driving under the influence and people who are not wearing their seat belts. The department noted that last year’s Super Bowl enforcement produced more than 1,300 citations, nearly 3,900 warnings, 50 arrests for driving while intoxicated, 31 felony arrests and 12 fugitive arrests statewide, underscoring the agency’s focus on tangible enforcement outcomes.

Local DPS personnel urged practical planning for Jim Wells County residents. Justin Ruiz, DPS Sergeant (KBTX), stressed the value of arranging safe transportation before festivities begin. “There’s too many in the areas that will come and pick you up and take you home. It’s a lot cheaper than a DWI,” Ruiz said. “We also want to make sure they set up those, either rideshares or they know somebody else is driving that is not going to be drinking at all.” Ruiz also emphasized seat-belt use and encouraged community reporting of unsafe drivers via iWatch Texas. “Whether it’s something that you see, and you’re like I just don’t feel good about what that person is doing or how they’re doing it – submit a report to I Watch Texas, it’s all anonymous and nobody is going to know that you did it,” Ruiz said.

Some local reporting described the stepped-up presence as covering the broader Super Bowl weekend while DPS’s official release specified enforcement for Sunday, Feb. 8. KBTX framed the effort as targeting travel to and from watch parties, reflecting local traffic patterns and community concerns.

For perspective, New York State Police ran a separate supervised campaign over Feb. 6–8 that included sobriety checkpoints and coordination with local agencies; that operation recorded thousands of tickets and dozens of DWI arrests. Those figures belong to New York and are not part of Texas’s totals, but they illustrate how states nationwide increase traffic enforcement during major event weekends.

Spanish-language materials accompanied the DPS release, reflecting bilingual outreach. For Jim Wells County drivers, the practical takeaway is simple: plan a sober ride, buckle up, expect increased trooper presence and use iWatch Texas to report driving that worries you. Expect similar enforcement when other major events draw travel, and make safety part of the game plan.