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Texas' drunk driving epidemic: Police concerned about Super Bowl traffic

It is now considered an epidemic in Texas. Drunk driving, just in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, claims hundreds of lives every month. With the Super Bowl approaching, police officers are more concerned than ever about the safety of our metroplex roads.

Assistant Police Chief, Todd Taylor, said Lewisville averages 40 drunk driving arrests every month and many of the impaired drivers are under 21 years of age. On any given evening, one in ten vehicles traveling on I35E is operated by someone with a blood alcohol level that is well over the .08 limit, reported Mike Bryan, a Dallas police officer. Bryan also stated that he makes at least two drunk driving arrests every day.

Even though the cost of getting a DWI is $10,000-$12,000, Texas leads the nation in drunk driving injuries and deaths. No longer considered “accidents”, Cathy Quaid, Program Specialist for the North Texas Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, explained that if a person drinks and chooses to drive while intoxicated, a collision is considered a “crash”. “An accident”, Quaid said, “is NOT intentional while drunk driving IS.”

There are alternatives for folks who should not be getting behind the wheel. Safe-R, a new designated driver service, offers rides for people who are impaired. More convenient than a taxi, Safe-R gets people home with their vehicles. There is no need to retrieve a car the next day. Because Safe-R is a non-profit organization, costs for rides are low and volunteer opportunities are available. The organization operates 24 hours a day, seven days per week and covers the entire Dallas / Fort Worth area.

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