WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and TxDOT is reminding drivers of the potential consequences of texting while driving with a new campaign.

The campaign centers on Maria Espinosa of Irving, TX and her son, Misael Rico, who was just 6 years old when he was struck by a distracted driver on his way to school. Rico was comatose for six months and had to learn to eat, walk and talk again. Now 20, Rico is in college and hopes to be a physical therapist someday.

“Despite being 100% preventable, distracted driving crashes continue to be a major problem in our state, killing hundreds of Texans every year. In 2024, distracted driving contributed to more than 91,000 crashes in Texas, leading to more than 370 deaths – all preventable tragedies," TxDOT said in a statement.