Six of the worst ten cities for drinking and driving in the United States are in Texas, with Dallas ranking third in the nation.
The study, conducted by a California criminal lawyer group, looked at the percentage of fatal accidents involving a drunk driver. It also assessed the proportion of people over 18 who said they engage in binge drinking. The study determined that three-quarters of vehicular fatalities in Dallas involved an intoxicated driver.
Despite Dallas’ dismal ranking, it was not the worst in the state. Austin was ranked first on the list, with drinking and driving involved in 83% of fatal car crashes.
In November, The Dallas Express reported that Dallas County was increasing efforts to stem drunk driving under a new #WhatAlchoholSays campaign that encouraged alternative modes of transportation. In 2023, the county recorded over 2,100 drunk-driving incidents, the second-highest in Texas.
“This is a real crisis around the country and especially in Texas,” Stacey D. Stewart, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), told the Observer.
“And, of course, fatalities are one thing. We’re not even mentioning injuries that happen, which are usually multiple times more than the fatalities.”
In 2022, the most recent year data is available on impaired-driver-involved accidents in Dallas, 411 deaths were linked to drinking and driving in the city, according to Stewart. Statewide, over 1,800 fatalities were recorded, up 40% from 2019, compared to 33% nationwide.
The increase in accidents linked to drinking may be a legacy of the pandemic. More than half of binge drinkers reported a rise in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. At the same time, lockdowns drove higher rates of mental health issues.
Stewart says that while rideshares offer a safe way for many Dallasites to get home, the option is not available everywhere.
“Many people do rely on Ubers and Lyfts after they’ve been out for a night and having a good time, and that’s really helpful, but ride share isn’t available sometimes in all areas. About 40% of all crashes happen in rural areas where ride share may not be as readily available,” said Stewart.