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Bringing Down the Numbers: Drunk Driving in Harris County

Harris County leads the nation in DWI related fatalities according to Houston police. About 53 percent of Houston’s fatal accidents last year were related to drunk driving.

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HPD’s Captain Carl Driskell and Precinct 5 Deputy Constable John Lane say drunk driving will no longer be tolerated in Harris County. Over the next 4 weekends, 23 agencies will be working together to target DWI offenders. That includes increased police presence.

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“Agencies here and all the chiefs here have been receiving calls from citizens saying ‘when is this going to change?’ I can tell you it’s going to change now. This is an historic event. Never before have so many agencies stood in front of the cameras and said come 10 o’clock Friday, stop it.”

While law enforcement officials are doing all they can, Catherine Evans with the D.A.’s office says the community has a role to play as well.

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“The critical component here is that the community has to be fed up, the community has a role to play here as well. And that means picking up the phone. If you see a drunk driver on the road, and we’ve all been there, we’ve all seen that, make the effort, call the police, grab somebody’s keys, offer them a ride. Do whatever you can do.”

The initiative continues through the July 4th holiday weekend.

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