Beginning today (Monday, Aug. 20), the Texas Department of Transportation hopes to grab your attention and encourage safer driving habits, by displaying some shocking statistics on its message signs.

According to TxDOT,  year-to-date number of traffic deaths in Texas will be featured on more than 700 message signs in the state, for one week out of every month.

The number of fatalities in Texas has decreased about 21 percent since 2003, but there were still -- on average -- 250 deaths every month in 2011.

Four of dynamic signs, located in the Abilene area,  will begin displaying the totals.