Conroe Courier July 18, 2023

Harris County has the highest number of drunken driving-related car crashes in the state, according to a recent report by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The largest county in Texas — and the third largest in the country — had more than 115,000 crashes reported, the report shows. Of those, a total of 3,553 crashes were drunken driving-related. 

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The Harris County District Attorney’s Office charged more than 12,000 DWI cases last year, according to data provided by the agency. More than 100 of those charges involved assault and manslaughter. 

About 160 car crash fatalities were drunken driving-related, and more than 100 fatalities were drivers of vehicles. 

“We’re obviously a huge county,” said Lynn Nguyen, section chief of the vehicular crimes division at the district attorney’s office. “I think that’s what drives the numbers every year. And we’re kind of one of those growing counties, where people are coming from all over to live here…and so with the influx of people and the drinking culture that we do have here, that unfortunately means there’s going to be an increase in intoxication-related fatalities.”

Because Harris County is so big, many people to drive further away from the city, Nguyen said.

“You get people who don’t necessarily want to take advantage of Uber or Lyft, because that Uber or Lyft fee would be $40, $50 just to get back home, if they live out in Kingwood,” Nguyen said. 

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TxDOT’s drunken-driving crash data for 2022

Seven counties neighbor Harris, including Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

Here’s where each Houston-area county ranks in TxDOT’s 2022 DUI report, by crash counts. The chart also breaks down the numbers compared to population, since the number of people living in each county varies widely.

Harris

Harris County ranks No. 1 out of 254 counties for the number of drunken driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of more than 4.7 million as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There was a total of 3,553 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 7.43 crashes per 10,000 people.

There were 160 fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 3.10 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Montgomery 

Montgomery County ranks No. 11 out of 254 counties for the number of drunken driving-related car crashes. 

The county has an estimated population more than 678,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There was a total of 441 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which is amounts to around 6.50 crashes per 10,000 people.

There were 12 fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 1.77 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Galveston 

Galveston County ranks No. 16 out of 254 counties for the number of drunken driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of around 357,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

There was a total of 316 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 8.85 crashes per 10,000 people.

There were 13 fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 2.52 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Fort Bend 

Fort Bend County ranks No. 20 out of 254 counties for drunken driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of more than 889,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There was a total of 270 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 3.04 crashes per 10,000 people. 

There were eight fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 0.90 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Brazoria

Brazoria County ranks No. 21 out of 254 counties for drunken driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of more than 388,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

There was a total of 264 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 6.80 crashes per 10,000 people. 

There were 10 fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 2.32 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Chambers

Chambers County ranks No. 42 out of 254 counties for drunken driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of more than 51,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There was a total of 80 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 15.60 crashes per 10,000 people.

There were three fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 5.85 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Liberty

Liberty County ranks No. 52 out of 254 counties for drunken driving-related car crashes. 

The county has an estimated population of more than 101,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

There was a total of 55 drunken driving-related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 5.39 crashes per 10,000 people. 

There were seven fatalities related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to around 3.92 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

Waller

Waller County ranks No. 60 out of 254 counties for drunken-driving-related car crashes.

The county has an estimated population of more than 61,000 as of 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There was a total of 40 drunken driving related car crashes in 2022, which amounts to around 6.46 crashes per 10,000 people.

There was one fatality related to drunken driving in the county, which amounts to 1.62 fatalities per 100,000 people. 

How does Houston-area law enforcement combat drunk driving?

For the past decade, Harris County has led the nation in intoxication-related fatalities, Nguyen said.  

“It’s not a statistic we’re proud of,” Nguyen said. “But we do have a lot of initiatives in place to try and combat that.” 

As a means to reduce the number of intoxicated drivers on the road, the county has “No Refusal” initiatives throughout the year. This means that if someone is suspected of drunken driving, a prosecutor, judge and nurse are on call to assist officers with DWI cases, Nguyen said. 

During major holidays which traditionally see an increase in drinking such as July Fourth and Memorial Day, Houston agencies partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife to assist with a bigger push for “No Refusal” initiatives, she said. 

Seven counties neighbor Harris, including Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

Montgomery County has “No Refusal” initiatives every Friday and Saturday night, along with increased operations during holidays and events, said Brittany Hansford, assistant district attorney chief for the vehicular crimes unit at the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. 

In total, about 1,353 DWI arrests were made in 2022 by county agencies, according to data provided by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office also has an on-going Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant with TxDOT, which targets areas that are believed to have higher rates of serious accidents and traffic concerns, said Specialist Stephen Walker with the sheriff’s office. 

“The STEP grant through TxDOT funds overtime for deputies to work in specific areas where we believe traffic enforcement is a priority,” Walker said in a written statement.